McCormick, Robert M. (Bob or Mac) MADISON - Robert M. (Bob or Mac) McCormick passed away on Friday, July 27, 2007, at the Don and Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center, with his family by his side. Bob was born in Dodgeville on April 22, 1928, to Robert P. and Leone (Martin) McCormick. He graduated from Madison East H.S., with honors, in 1946. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served 14 months of his hitch in the Korean occupation, working at an ordinance depot near Pusan, Japan. In 1948, Bob was discharged and entered the University of Notre Dame under the G.I. Bill. In January 1949, he transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1951, after three semesters, Bob was re-called as an Inactive Reservist in the Korean conflict, training draftees in ordinance depot work. After his discharge, on Labor Day weekend in 1952, he met his ?Lovely Bohemian,? from Grant County, at his sister, Mary?s wedding dance in South Milwaukee. Bob and Mary were married on April 24, 1954, at St. Bernard?s Catholic Church in Madison. He worked nights at Oscar Mayer?s Shipping cooler while going to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He graduated from the UW in 1954, with a bachelor of science degree and in 1958, he completed Law School, sans an Office Practice requirement. In August 1962, he received his L.L.B. and was thereupon admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin. In those interim four years he was elected and served as Business Manager of Local Union No. 538 Amalgamated Meat cutters, representing some 3500 employees at Oscar Mayer and 350 more at Stoppenbachs, Jefferson. In that capacity, Bob negotiated two labor agreements, with Oscar Mayer and one contract with Stoppenbach Sausage in Jefferson. He was defeated for a 3 year term and returned to third shift in the Oscar Mayer plant, while clerking half-days at a Madison law firm to finish his office practice. In June 1962, he applied and successfully secured a civil service position with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Board. Bob served as a Mediator, Arbitrator and Trial Examiner for the WERC for 28 years for such respected and well known commissioners as Morris Slavney, Arvid Anderson, Zel Rice Howard Bellman and Herman Torosian. Bob mediated Dairyland Power, La Crosse contracts over a 20 year period and dozens of Dairy Land REN member coops in western Wisconsin. On June 28, 1990, Bob retired from the WERC following a retirement party and roasting attended by management attorneys, labor representatives and municipal officials, from all over the state of Wisconsin. Bob spent many years playing fast-pitch softball, and regular softball in city leagues from 1944 to 1988, and often talked of the Trigg?s Bar upset of Security State Bank in the 1953 City Tournament at Breese Stevens Field. In his retirement years, he loved to sit on the glider in their backyard and listen to Big Band music or Puccini, while admiring the monarchs, birds and flowers or watch his youngest grandchildren play. He was part of two groups which met monthly at the Green Lantern - the Old Labor Skates and East High 1946 grads; the Hillfarm breakfast-gang of six; and the Madison Sports Hall of Fame. Bob is survived by his devoted wife of 53 years, Mary; two daughters, Kelly (John) Martin of Southport, N.C. and Donna (Randy) Stark of Madison; sons, Kevin of Mendota Heights, Minn. and Dennis (Cheryll) Madison; loving grandchildren, Anna and Maureen Martin of Southport, N.C., Kamden and Kellen Stark of Madison, Erin (Steve) Goetter of Madison and Collin McCormick of Madison; two step-grandchildren, Andrew (Liz) Kinsler of Madison and Stacey (Ivan) Solomon of Hartford, Conn.; sisters, Mary (George) Pliszka of Georgetown, Texas and Anne (Michael) Endres of Sun Prairie; and four brothers, George (Lorraine) of Lawrenceville, N.J., Thomas (Mary) of Marshall, Richard (Jan) of Markesan and Patrick (Patricia) of Onalaska. He is further survived by sisters-in-law, Beatrice Robertson of Green Bay, Virginia Coughlin of Asheville, N.C., Patricia McCormick of Madison and Nyla (William) of McFarland and his brother-in-law, Bernard Sikhart (Blanche) of Lancaster. Bob was preceded in death by his parents; his older infant brother, John; brothers, Michael of Madison and William of McFarland; and his favorite brother-in-law, James Coughlin of Asheville, N.C. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, at 11 a.m. at BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison, with Pastor Curt Everson officiating. Friends may call Tuesday, July 31, 2007, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the JOYCE-RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 5701 Odana Road, Madison. A private burial of his cremains will be conducted at St. Mary?s of the Lake Cemetery, Westport. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethel Horizons, 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison, WI 53703 or the Tower 11 Heart Center, Meriter Hospital, Madison. The family wishes to thank the staff at Select Specialty Hospital for Bob?s exceptional care. The family also thanks all the Meriter Tower 11 health professionals who provided care for Bob and the entire staff at HospiceCare for their loving care. May the road rise up to meet you; May the wind be always at your back; May the sun shine warm upon your face; And the rain fall soft upon your field; And until we meet again; May God hold you in the palm of His hand. Amen