Kevin Robert McCormack

Kevin McCormack Obituary

McCormack, Kevin Robert
Kevin completed his extraordinary journey & went to his well deserved reward with God in the very early hours of Sunday, May 22, 2011 after a 14 month ordeal with cancer. Kevin accepted his illness the way he faced everything in life - with strength, knowledge, dignity, compassion, & humor. Kevin passed peacefully & comfortably at home with his loving wife, Victoria, holding his hand. Kevin was as noble & beautiful in death as he was in life! Kevin was born in Milwaukee, WI on 4/2/59 to John J. & Barbara A. (Belter) McCormack, the 4th of 6 sons. He grew up in Milwaukee & Boulder Junction, WI at the family-built home on Wildcat Lake. He came to AZ in 1977 to attend ASU & switched his engineering major to earn a degree in Natural Resource Management from the College of Agriculture while working as a property manager. Kevin then worked with AZ Game & Fish in research & enjoyed traveling all over AZ collecting data. But Kevin needed the flexibility self-employment allowed so he became a realtor. His intelligence, wit, and excellent negotiating & people skills quickly grew his real estate business with West USA & he began investing in real estate - he "flipped" & rented many homes. He then realized his dream when he bought the 4Drag cattle ranch in eastern AZ on Upper Eagle Creek. He worked the ranch & real estate 120 hours a week. He sold the ranch when the reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolves hurt the cattle operations. He continued real estate & to enjoy life. Kevin was very proud to be "clean & sober" 20 years after rehab at Hazelden & privately celebrated every April. Kevin summed up these years "I partied hard in the '80s, worked hard in the '90s, and semi-retired in the 2000s". He had no regrets & truly believed "happiness is a choice". Kevin and Victoria met in 2003 & had the wedding of a lifetime on 11/25/06 with the theme "life is good". Kevin, as your Mom so aptly expressed "we completed each other." We often said our time together was the happiest years of our lives & we were grateful for every day - only 8 years yet we had a lifetime! Kevin truly lived "it is not the years in a life, but the life in the years". Kevin enjoyed everything, but especially family & friends, Wildcat, reading, world events, animals, political discussions, coffee & Diet Coke, the "children's table", dinners at Ironworks, any activity with the grandboys, Laughlin, community involvement, fishing, helping others, Texas Holdem, bonfires in the 'hood, education, imparting life's hard sought lessons, kids playing in the cul-de-sac, Christmas lights, gardening, boating, meeting new people and hikes in the wash. Kevin was intelligent, honorable, kind, honest, passionate, compassionate & greatly loved. He believed there were no "roadblocks" in life. Kevin is survived by his loving & devoted family: wife, Victoria; parents, John J. and Barbara; brothers, Tim (Leslie), Mike (Holly), Bob (Donna), and Dan (Karen); nieces and nephews, Larkin, Michael (Abbey), Sean, Sara, Lindsey, Katie, Ryan, Kellyn, Taryn, Daniel & Tayler; son-in-law, Anthony (Brandi) Goodman II; grandboys, Anthony III & Kaleb Goodman; Uncle Belt (John) & Aunt Pam Belter; and numerous cousins; family friends: Mattie, Clyde, Shirley & Doug; our "Mighty 47th" family: Jack, Andrea, Lee & Shaleen; Ernie, Irene & Ernesto; Bob, Patti & Alex; Ray, Stephany & Steven; Francis, Lisa & Mariel - he will continue to be our light at every campfire; dearest friends: Bill & Billie; Rob, Jessica, Grady & Sara; Darrel & Donna; Karen; Bill "Bronco" & Pam; Dawni; Jim A; Dave N; Jeff; Rick; Craig; Joe & Wanda; Steve; Lee & Debby; friends from Baileys, My Old Mans, West USA, Colorado Belle & too many to mention. Kevin is preceded in death by his dear brother John; beloved mother-in-law, Shirley White; dear friends Robbie, Ron, Kevin W & David; pets Buddy, Blackie & Gizmo. We are forever grateful to our compassionate Hospice of the Valley team: Cynthia, Mary, Bob, Dr. Gilbertson, Rob, Pam, Sue & David. The last weeks of his journey with messages from family & friends can be seen at caringbridge.org under kevinmccormack. As his sister-in-law Donna expressed so very well: Kevin has been one of those people you meet in life that is truly different in unexplainable ways. All those who have known him saw that extra special quality that he shared willingly & unselfishly. He spoke with honesty & sincerity, with a wealth of knowledge & insight. Kevin simply loved life. Nothing was taken for granted, no minute was wasted. When you share that with all the people you meet in life, you have led an extraordinary life. Now, we are left with the challenge to share what Kevin has so graciously shared with us, with others. We are blessed to have loved him. As his last gift, Kevin donated his body to science. To honor Kevin, listen to Martina McBride's song "Blessed", take time to enjoy the people & beauty in the world, be kind & take care of each other, and share all that Kevin shared with us: put up Christmas lights for a friend, weed a neighbor's yard, teach a child to ride a bike or throw a ball. If you would like to make a donation, Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St, Phoenix, AZ 85014 or Caringbridge.org would be appreciated. A celebration of Kevin's wonderful life will be held at Ironworks Restaurant in Bellair, Glendale, AZ on Sunday 6/5/11 from 12-3pm. Another life celebration will be held this summer in Boulder Junction, WI & a family remembrance at Wildcat.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Arizona Republic on May 29, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Kevin McCormack

9 Entries

Cyntheia Brown

June 6, 2011

What a wonderful tribute to this beautiful human being. I was honored to have known him for the short time I did. His spirit will live on forever in the hearts of the many people that loved him. Kevin & Victoria's love and devotion to each other will forever be a part of me. REST IN PEACE DEAR KEVIN.
Cyntheia Brown RN-Hospice of the Valley

June 2, 2011

Kevin – Always a gentleman and an accommodating host, calm, cool, collect.
He had a genuine smile that lit up his face, especially when Victoria came into the picture. What a great couple!
As soon as he moved to our street he became not only a neighbor but a lifelong friend.
I remember how he got into Halloween each year and how he scared the kids with an air powered glove in the candy bowl. The Mom’s jumped as high and far as the kids! Good times, good times! That first Christmas that he went all out decorating his house and the rest of the cul de sac was so great! Lights, wreaths, Santa and reindeer, you name it! We glowed like no other that year. Yes, we were all feeling the love of God, family and dear friends! Thanks Kevin!
We will miss our dear friend on every holiday and in between but what great memories we will forever have to cherish.
Thanks for the memories, Kevin! Until we are all united again, God bless your soul.
Love ya!
Andrea

Andrea Knight

June 2, 2011

Jack Knight

May 30, 2011

My dear friend Kevin,

I will always remember you for your extravagant Christmas lights and the lighted flag we hung above your garage, that you patiently built, and your calm words every time we spoke. You were always willing to help with everything from cleaning up after the storms to decorating the entire cul-de-sac. You always helped and for the last couple years supplied all the firewood for the hood."No Bag Wood Here" You, my friend, were a man's man.

I know in my heart God has a special place for you. I remember the first time we met, it was late in the evening on a weekend and we were having a fire sitting around and chatting it up with all the neighbors. You came over and introduced yourself as did everyone there. We offered you a chair and we began to talk. You explained you had purchased three homes on our street that night and you had never seen a group of neighbors quite like ours and that you were going to keep one of the homes for yourself. That is when you became one of the "Mighty 47th". Just so you know Kev, your lovely wife will be well taken care of by all your friends on this block that love you both.

You will be missed but never forgotten. Whenever that fire is lit or we burn a sacrificial Christmas tree you will be in our thoughts.

Rest well my friend!

Jack Knight

May 30, 2011

victoria, that was a beautiful description; living a full life can be "complicated" and we all are continued works-in-progress.
our family grew up w/the mccormacks in brookfield and my parents have kept us apprised of all the boys, and their families, over these many years. thoughts, prayers and blessings to all, beth and peter gottsacker

Cora Lathom

May 30, 2011

Victoria, you did a wonderful job. This was written very nicely. Kevin was a very nice man and he'll missed. Thank you for sharing his life. God Bless

May 29, 2011

Thank you Victoria, we were so lucky to be a small part of his life, his advice,friendship and honesty will always be remembered. His legacy and memories will always be at 4Drag.
God Bless the Family and Friends,
Gary and Darcy Ely

Kathleen Franick

May 29, 2011

Victoria,
This was BEAUTIFULLY written and a great loving trbute to a great man. Our memories of Kevin in our childhood years as cousins in the North Woods will always be cherished. Thank you for sharing the rest of his years with all of us. He wil be missed. His cousin,
Kathleen McCormack Franick
Akron, Ohio

May 29, 2011

Such a wonderful man. Thank you for sharing the heart warming story of Kevin's life. I will honor Kevin.
With Love
Kathy McCormack

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