David Douglas McCormick

Son of Keeper  James McCormick.

TRAVERSE CITY - David Douglas, “Doug” or “Mac” McCormick, 97, passed away on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at Tendercare in Traverse City. He is survived by his sons David McCormick of Washington Island, WI and Brian (Colleen) McCormick of Traverse City, MI, his three granddaughters, Caitlin McCormick of Canton, MI, Erin McCormick of Traverse City, MI and Kristin McCormick of Canton, MI, his sister, Grace Wisniski of Manistee, MI, and loving companion, Ann Martin of Traverse City, MI.

Doug was born March 29, 1914, to James and Mary (Wachter) McCormick on Poverty Island, MI where his father was a lighthouse keeper. The family also lived at the South Fox Island Lighthouse for six years until transferring to the Grand Traverse Lighthouse in Northport, MI where they lived until his father’s retirement from the U.S. Lighthouse Service in 1938. Doug was one of 12 children that included, Willie John (died in infancy), Violet, James, Justine, Joseph, Margaret, John, Doug (himself), Leon, Elizabeth, Janet and Grace.

Doug graduated from Northport High School where he served as Senior Class President. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1935 as a Surfman at Whitefish Point, MI and he married Marie Stover of Washington Island, WI in 1937.

Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, Doug was assigned to the attack transport USS Hunter Liggett that was stationed in the North Atlantic. With the outbreak of hostilities, his ship loaded troops in New York and sailed to Wellington, New Zealand where they conducted amphibious landing training with US Marines. Proceeding to the Solomon Islands, Doug landed on Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942 where he was one of 27 Coast Guard personnel that remained on Guadalcanal with the 1st Marine Division in the 1942-1943 campaign. He also served in the African Campaign and the European Theater participating in four major battles. Later in the war, Doug commanded a “sub-chaser” based in New Orleans.

After WWII, Doug was assigned to Coast Guard Stations in the Great Lakes region including a return to Washington Island where he served until his transfer to the Philippines in 1952. While in the Philippines, his wife Marie passed away on Washington Island. He returned home immediately and was reassigned to the Coast Guard Station in Sturgeon Bay, WI. While in Sturgeon Bay, he met and married Pearl Boudwin (Steinmetz). In 1955, Doug was made Group Commander in Sturgeon Bay and was responsible for 18 Light Stations in both Michigan and Wisconsin. He went on to assignments at the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School in Yorktown, VA and the Coast Guard station in Sault Ste. Marie, MI where he retired in 1965. He and Pearl then moved to Burlington, VT where Doug worked as a ferry boat captain on Lake Champlain for the next 10 years. Returning to Sturgeon Bay, he captained charter fishing boats on Lake Michigan.

Doug moved to Traverse City, MI after Pearl passed away in 1984. Never one to sit idle, he was one of a handful of people who, in 1981, turned their attention to the poor state of the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. He became actively involved in the restoration of the Lighthouse donating much of his time and energy. He was a member of the 1st Board of Directors that met in February, 1986. It was during this work that he met Ann Martin, who was also a volunteer in the restoration efforts. Doug was able to come full circle by once again living at Grand Traverse Lighthouse where he was the caretaker through 2002.

Doug continued to be a supportive patron of the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum throughout his lifetime. Now a fully restored museum, the “McCormick Room”, his mother’s beloved Mason Hamlin pump organ and his father’s portrait reside in the museum as testament to him and his family’s legacy.

Doug was a member of the VFW, Disabled American Veterans, the Knights of Columbus and a tribal elder of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Visitation will be held at Martinson Funeral Home, 115 N. Saint Joseph St., Suttons Bay, MI on Wednesday March 7th from 2 – 8 p.m. Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Services will be held at Martinson’s on Thursday, March 8th at 11 a.m. with visitation from 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Interment will be in Washington Island, WI at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to GTLM - Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum, PO Box 43, Northport, MI 49670. Contributions will be used to establish a scholarship fund in Doug’s name. This scholarship will be presented annually to a Northport High School graduate.