Paul M. McCormick

Paul M. McCormick Resident of Marin County an Oakland native who moved to Stockton and became prominent in the fields of juvenile corrections and psychotherapy, died Oct. 9 of complications of Lewy Body Disease, a neuro-degenerative disorder. A resident of Marin County since 2005, he was 85. McCormick from 1968-1975 trained staff at the O.H. Close School for Boys in Stockton. He wrote several books to introduce concepts of transactional analysis. With his wife, Patricia, and Ellen Pulleyblank, in 1976 he established a private psychotherapy practice in Stockton, where he treated thousands of individuals and couples until his retirement in 2001. In his professional and personal life, McCormick carried deep belief in the worth and equality of every person. In March 1965 he joined 25,000 protestors in the five-day march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., to support voting rights of African Americans. A lover of language, he wrote deft, powerful prose and was an unsparing yet generous editor. Possessing an incisive intelligence and a trust in logical reasoning, McCormick understood the need to engage powerful emotions to heal psychic wounds. Born in Oakland on Feb. 11, 1925, as the third of Eugene A. and Margaret G. (Ward) McCormick's seven children, Paul graduated from St. Elizabeth's High School. As a member of the U.S. Army's 70th Division, he was wounded in 1945 in Alsace, France, and was awarded a Purple Heart. McCormick graduated from Santa Clara University in 1949. He served as city reporter at The Oakland Tribune until moving to the Alameda County Probation Department in 1958. After moving to Stockton, in 1973 he earned a master's degree in counseling psychology at the University of the Pacific. A jazz enthusiast, he also watched ballgames with passion. He played golf and competed fiercely at Scrabble. He enjoyed books of philosophy and psychology. He loved travel, and he was an avid amateur photographer. McCormick married Patricia J. Murphy in 1957, with whom he had four children: Mary, Bernard, Monica, and Gavin. He was a conscientious family man who imparted a deep commitment to standards. As a husband and father, he was generous and loving. His spouse and children survive him, as do four grandchildren, Carita, Malachy, Michael, and Eavan; his sister Jean Valva; brothers Thomas and Jerome; and 35 nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by sister Frances Roberson; brothers Bernard and John; and nephew Kevin. His family wishes to express gratitude to Tawake Baravilala, his long-time care provider and friend, and the staff at the Community Living Center at the San Francisco V.A. Hospital for their excellent care of Paul. A memorial mass and reception will be held at St. Anthony's Church, 1000 Cambridge St., Novato, at 11 a.m. on Fri., Nov. 26. Contributions in Paul's memory may be made to St. Mary's Interfaith Community Services, 545 W. Sonora St., Stockton, CA, 95203