Posted by Charles E. Rittenburg on June 3, 2010:

John Joseph Twomey, or J.J. as he was often called, was a gold-standard friend. It's often heard that someone who has passed on will be missed, but in John's case it is true many times over. John was born in the Bronx, New York City, and was ever the cosmopolitan New Yorker. He graduated in June 1969 from the prestigious Regis High School in the City, and strode boldly onto the Plain at West Point on 1 July 1969. There he began his personal metamorphosis into the soldier, officer, patriot, and civil servant he was meant to become. It is John as a cadet that most of his classmates recall. During Plebe year, John's mother became a fixture around the Plain as she hustled about West Point in her trademark red sneakers, dispensing encouragement and invitations to stop in at John's home in the Bronx whenever a classmate was in New York City. It was an axiom that all subways led to the Twomey home, as whenever Mrs. Twomey gave directions to someplace in the City, a stop at their home was always included. John had obviously inherited his mother's infectious spirit and generous heart. His outstanding intellect and academic diligence earned him top honors as a student, and he proudly wore the gold star insignia on his collar he was authorized to wear as what cadets call a "star man." He was active in extracurricular affairs and especially in the Glee Club as a tenor and frequent soloist. He's also remembered for his collaboration with Charlie Berlin, Lee Ross, and many other facile, comedic minds to produce the hysterically memorable 100th Night Show for our class, in which he also demonstrated his comedic acting abilities. Classmates responding to the sad news of John's passing have frequently referred to how, whenever they saw John somewhere on the campus at West Point, they could always expect to receive a sincere smile and an encouraging word. Many of our classmates relied on the additional instruction John offered unstintingly to those who needed help with the arcane mysteries of calculus, or chemistry, or hydrodynamics. In athletics John was a fierce competitor but always a sportsmanlike gentleman. As a plebe, John was assigned a rather unusual "plebe poop." John had to sing the beautiful song, Edelweiss, from the musical, The Sound of Music. Many times, First Classman "Sully" Sullivan used to have him sing it for Sully's OAO from the stoops of the Old North Barracks. Every cadet in Fourth Regiment heard the lilting tones of John's striking Irish tenor voice echoing off the walls in the Old North Area, and for the next four years, John generously acceded to requests from classmates and other friends to sing that signature song for themselves or their own favorite girls. Many of his classmates and their wives hold fond memories of John's wonderful rendition. John would also bring his formidable vocal instrument to bear on other occasions, singing rousing Army football songs, Christmas carols, or popular music. John graduated from West Point on 6 June 1973, and was commissioned into the Armor branch with a cavalry specialization. He served with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Bad Hersfeld, West Germany. There, on 16 July 1976, I was privileged to attend the wedding of John and Ulrike in her family's church. After serving six years with the Army, he entered the civilian world through an executive development program at Frito-Lay Corporation in the Dallas, TX area. Moving into a trendy development called "The Colony" north of Dallas, John worked at Frito-Lay for a while, then became a full-time student at the University of North Texas in Denton to earn his MBA. While they lived in Texas, John and Uli's daughter, Alessa, was born on 11 August 1983 in Dallas. In 1988, John and Uli returned to the Washington, D.C. area, where John worked for the Corps of Engineers until the end of 1988 at Fort Belvoir. Then the family had the opportunity to move back to Germany, settling in the Heidelberg area. Alessa had the chance to get to know the German side of her family and even received her secondary education from 6th grade on in the local schools. While stationed in Germany, the Twomeys made the best use of the opportunity to travel around Europe and the Mediterranean. When she was ready for college, Alessa was accepted at the United States Coast Guard Academy, on condition she first complete one year at the Navy Prep School in order to add an American leavening to her Continental education. John and Uli were both so proud of her. It was a great moment for John when Alessa graduated from the Academy in May, 2007. She is currently stationed at Norfolk, VA. Meanwhile, in February 2004, John and Uli returned to Washington, D.C. to work for the Office of Secretary of Defense. During this time, certain annoying health problems began to trouble John, affecting his mobility, but characteristically, he never complained and continued to work effectively and efficiently for his country. In November of 2005, doctors discovered John had cancer of the colon. Because the tumor was contained, surgeons believed they had removed all of the cancer and that it would not return. Unfortunately, in March of this year, medical examination revealed that, against all expectations, the colon cancer had returned and attacked John's liver. John told me on the phone that the median survival rate for this type of cancer was two years, and I told him I was praying for a much longer time for him. Sadly, the opposite occurred. John was feeling some unusual pain and had been admitted to the hospital for medication and treatment. He passed away unexpectedly and suddenly, but without visible pain or awareness. John was preceded in death by his parents, John Joseph Twomey, Sr., and Joan Twomey, and a brother, Robert Twomey, who was also a graduate of West Point, Class of 1976. He is survived by his beloved wife, Ulrike Twomey, his daughter, Lieutenant, j.g., Alessa Twomey, USCG, an adoring sister, Joan Twomey Shook, of Oregon, and a brother, James Christopher Twomey, of Pleasantville, NY. John's earthly remains will be cremated and his ashes interred adjacent to the ashes of his brother, Robert, at the Columbarium at the United States Military Academy at West Point this coming autumn.

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