John Macon Cornick

John Macon Cornick, 52, passed away Friday after a courageous battle with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. John was born in Marion, Virginia on March 21, 1959, the third child of Rose Marie Killinger and Robert Madison Cornick. From an early age, John loved everything about athletics, and his childhood revolved around playing every sport available. His participation in football, basketball, baseball and golf provided wonderful memories and lessons that he carried with him throughout his life. John attended school first in Marion, then Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, and on to UNC-Chapel Hill, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Soon after graduation, he moved to Raleigh and met and married the love of his life, Gina Brooks Cornick. They wed in 1984 and have two daughters, Mary Catherine and Macon Louise.

John was a remarkably dedicated husband and father. His girls were the song in his heart. He also had a very successful career as a CPA, working in public accounting, private practice and private industry. At the time of his illness, he was the chief financial officer for Southern Industrial Constructors, and the hardest day of his life was when his illness forced him to retire completely and leave behind the dear people that he so enjoyed working with each and every day.

Outside the office, John loved seeing friends, attending sporting events, enjoying summer vacations at the NC Coast and playing golf with colleagues and best buddies. John was active at UNC for many years with Phi Delta Theta, serving as manager of the House Corporation, alumni advisor and board member, giving him another excuse to spend time at his beloved alma mater.

He took great pleasure in UNC athletics, Red Sox baseball, and Hurricanes Hockey. He was able to attend The Masters golf tournament twice, marshal at the US Open in Pinehurst twice and make his first ever trip to Boston last summer to sit in the box at a Red Sox baseball game.

John was an active member of Edenton Street United Methodist Church and the Jubilee Sunday School Class, serving on various church committees, including the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the Child Development Center, and Bulla Foundation and as head usher. John served many years as the treasurer of the Board of The National Society of President James Madison Family Descendants, Montpelier, Virginia, where he was able to connect with many wonderful cousins who all share the same love of family and family history.

John also had a passion for fighting ALS, and quickly after his diagnosis volunteered to participate in the first US clinical trial for spinal stem cell transplants, traveling to Emory Medical Center in Atlanta for the transplant surgery and monthly for the study protocol. Being in this study gave him the opportunity to communicate far and wide with other patients and families fighting this disease, encouraging them to participate in studies that will one day soon result in the development of new treatments and eventually a cure for ALS. He was especially grateful for the excellent team of Dr. Jonathan Glass and Dr. Nicholas Boulis and staff at Emory as well as Dr. Benjamin Rix Brooks and staff at the Carolinas ALS Center in Charlotte, and Dr. William D. Lee and staff in Raleigh. Thank you to the skilled Hospice staff for their excellent care, and to his special home caregivers from the Comforcare agency, Donna, Joyce and Justin.

John felt the firm embrace of friends and family near and far who comprised his loving support team during his illness. He would want to convey to each of them his profound gratitude.

His wife and daughters, sister, Ginny Bauman, and her husband, John, and brother, Dr. Jim Cornick, survive him. His nieces, Sarah Bauman and Christina Cornick, and nephew,

Nik Bauman, and his wife Tara, as well as special cousins Nancy and Carter Cornick, Dr. Peter Killinger, John Ferratt Macon, and Frederick Madison Smith, also survive him.

A celebration of his life will be held at Edenton Street United Methodist Church on Monday, May 16, 2011 at 4:00 pm, and afterward the family will receive friends in Kerr Hall.

Memorial donations may be made to The Emory ALS Center, attention Director of Development,1440 Clifton Rd, Suite 112, Atlanta, GA, 30322; Hospice of Wake County, 250 Hospice Cr, Ral, 27607; or Edenton Street United Methodist Church Youth Ministry, 228 W. Edenton St., Raleigh, NC, 27603.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary’s St. Raleigh.