Edward Harrington McCormick

Edward H. McCormick, former NC District Court judge, passed away at the age of 86 on August 14, 2021. Born on July 2, 1935, Ed was raised on a small tobacco and cotton farm in rural Barbecue Township and graduated from Benhaven High School in western Harnett County in 1953. After high school Ed served four years with the Army’s 11th Airborne Division (in both the US and Germany) before completing his education at the University of North Carolina with degrees in Economics (1961) and Law (1964).

 Ed returned to Harnett County in 1964 to practice law in Lillington where he lived and worked for the rest of his life. He represented a wide variety of clients while in private practice (1964-1984) but was particularly grateful for the opportunity to represent the County of Harnett. As county attorney he handled the legal work related to the development of a countywide water service. In 1984, Ed was elected to the District Court and served as a District Court judge from 1984 until his retirement in 2004.  He served as Chief District judge from 2000 until 2003.

Community involvement was very important to Ed. He served as Mayor of Lillington and held leadership positions in many organizations, including the Democratic Party, the Lillington Presbyterian Church, and the Lillington Rotary Club. As a Rotarian, he was instrumental in the creation of an annual gala honoring Cornelius Harnett.  In 2017 Governor Roy Cooper honored Ed with The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian award.

Ed met his wife, Ann Brittain McCormick, in Chapel Hill, where they wed in 1964. He is survived by his wife; two children, Duncan B. McCormick (w. Betsy) and Lydia M. McGhee (h. Scott); three grandchildren, William McCormick, Sarah McCormick, and Maggie McCormick; and three step-grandchildren, Bonnie Hair (h. Dylan), Jacob McGhee, and Conner McGhee. Ed was predeceased by his parents, Spence Purvis McCormick and Lou Harrington McCormick.

There will be a burial service for immediate family on Saturday, August 21. A celebration of Ed’s life will be held Saturday April 9 at 2PM at Lillington Presbyterian Church, 1101 8th Street in Lillington. 

Memorials may be made to the Harnett Food Pantry, PO Box 2084, Lillington, NC 27546, the Lillington Presbyterian Church, PO Box 245, Lillington, NC 27546 or at https://www.lillingtonpres.org/, the Rotary Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Drive, Chicago, IL 60693, or the charity of your choice.

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