Remembered by Mother
Janice Matthews McCormack
Vicki J. McCormack/Jackson/Yates was born in Carbondale, IL to Janice Agnew Matthews and Gordon Dean McCormack. Her grandfather was William Frank (Sharp) Matthews and great grandfather John Huston Matthews. She was born in the old hospital in Carbondale - can't remember the name of the hospital and since it hasn't been designated a historical site I can't find any information about it. Her dad was a Sgt. in the Marine Corps and was on his way to Korea (left in December, 1954) but was diverted to Japan instead. He had worked at the Post Office on base at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Santa Anna and was the closest PO person in the area. He arrived back home when Vicki was just a little over one year old.
I was called by the production people for the TV Program (Truth or Consequences), asking if I would like to bring Vicki to Hollywood to meet her dad on their TV program. It seems Mack was docking in San Francisco soon and they knew he hadn't seen his new baby since she had been born and they wanted to make that meeting an event. And they certainly did that; it was fun - I wish I had pictures from that, but do not, just memories.
Vicki and I lived with Mack's parents, Irma and Loren McCormack in Carbondale, IL for her first year of life. After Mack came home we lived in a series of small towns in Southern, IL and in Terre Haute, IN. Vicki was an average student, disliking school as teenagers often do; she had a lot of friends - her best friends were twin girls. She quit high school when she was sixteen and from there she got married. She got her GED after her two girls were born and later went on to finish one year in college, about the time the girls were in Middle School. She went through the normal trials of a young girl, into a teenager, into marriage and then motherhood.
She raised two grown girls (Jennifer and Angela Jackson) by a first marriage (Arthur Jackson) and later remarried (Michael Newton Yates) and had two sons (Michael and Matthew). She worked off and on, sometimes being a stay at home mom. She was working at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant when she was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer; she was only 42 years old. It was during the six months after her diagnosis that she showed her true strength and love for her family. She went through two surgeries which should have never happened - as they only diminished her quality of life - and fought very hard to live through the holidays (1996) in order to spend her last Thanksgiving and Christmas with her family, especially her children. She passed away two days before her birthday, January 18, 1997.
Janice Matthews McCormack
Vicki J. McCormack/Jackson/Yates was born in Carbondale, IL to Janice Agnew Matthews and Gordon Dean McCormack. Her grandfather was William Frank (Sharp) Matthews and great grandfather John Huston Matthews. She was born in the old hospital in Carbondale - can't remember the name of the hospital and since it hasn't been designated a historical site I can't find any information about it. Her dad was a Sgt. in the Marine Corps and was on his way to Korea (left in December, 1954) but was diverted to Japan instead. He had worked at the Post Office on base at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Santa Anna and was the closest PO person in the area. He arrived back home when Vicki was just a little over one year old.
I was called by the production people for the TV Program (Truth or Consequences), asking if I would like to bring Vicki to Hollywood to meet her dad on their TV program. It seems Mack was docking in San Francisco soon and they knew he hadn't seen his new baby since she had been born and they wanted to make that meeting an event. And they certainly did that; it was fun - I wish I had pictures from that, but do not, just memories.
Vicki and I lived with Mack's parents, Irma and Loren McCormack in Carbondale, IL for her first year of life. After Mack came home we lived in a series of small towns in Southern, IL and in Terre Haute, IN. Vicki was an average student, disliking school as teenagers often do; she had a lot of friends - her best friends were twin girls. She quit high school when she was sixteen and from there she got married. She got her GED after her two girls were born and later went on to finish one year in college, about the time the girls were in Middle School. She went through the normal trials of a young girl, into a teenager, into marriage and then motherhood.
She raised two grown girls (Jennifer and Angela Jackson) by a first marriage (Arthur Jackson) and later remarried (Michael Newton Yates) and had two sons (Michael and Matthew). She worked off and on, sometimes being a stay at home mom. She was working at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant when she was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer; she was only 42 years old. It was during the six months after her diagnosis that she showed her true strength and love for her family. She went through two surgeries which should have never happened - as they only diminished her quality of life - and fought very hard to live through the holidays (1996) in order to spend her last Thanksgiving and Christmas with her family, especially her children. She passed away two days before her birthday, January 18, 1997.
Pictures, top row, left to right; Michael Yates, Vicki, Angela Jackson and Jennifer Jackson; Vicki and Jennifer at her graduation from Truman University in Kirksville, MO; Vicki at about 5 years old
Left to right bottom row; Vicki cutting birthday cake - she loved the kids birthdays; Vicki at the pool with little Mike during a swimming lesson; Vicki with another birthday cake and Mike.
Left to right bottom row; Vicki cutting birthday cake - she loved the kids birthdays; Vicki at the pool with little Mike during a swimming lesson; Vicki with another birthday cake and Mike.