John Lawrence Schick

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Carl H. McNair, Jr. on August 19, 2011:

John Schick was the epitome of all that a West Point Cadet should be - athletic, astute, intelligent, ethically and morally straight - a role model for so many of us, who did not have the military background and upbringing he had. I admired him greatly and also came to know another side of John and his parents best up on Lusk Reservoir, since my plebe parents, COL Eugene and Marian Johnston, the Academy G-1, were not only neighbors and close friends of the Schicks, but COL J and Col Schick were classmates, USMA 1920, and only nine files apart in class ranking - so they were very close and always followed what young John Schick was doing. Thus, I learned early that John Schick was a real comer in academics, athletics, and leadership. I was in Co E-1 and John was in G-1, so we had many classes together and drilled in the same Battalion. On weekends and Corps trips, we always saw John and Ellen, his lifetime OAO, together, having known each other on the post with her father also assigned to West Point. They were the perfect couple who made a perfect Army family. John had a fine career with all the key assignments, in war and in peace - including grad school at Georgia Tech where we again overlapped. Jo Ann and I wanted to buy their Atlanta house when he graduated, but it was a little above our reach in 1961. After their retirement to San Diego and losing their beautiful mountain home to the horrific forest fire, the entire class was shattered, but John and Ellen picked up all the pieces and rebuilt once again -such was their strength and commitment. When John passed away in 2004, I was unable to attend his services at West Point, since I was recovering from a difficult heart surgery that limited my mobility and travel for months. And I was unable to provide this eulogy then, but now submit it as my final salute and tribute to one of the finest members of the Class of 1955 who was taken from us much too soon. May John now rest in honored glory in the arms of the Almighty. Grip Hands, Carl McNair Class of 1955

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