I have some sad news to share. Harry McCormick passed away last week at age 81. He is survived by his wife, Miyuki, and his son, Sean. I don’t have many details, except that Dee and I are heartbroken.

For those who never met Harry, he instructed the Wednesday evening adult class. He was a legitimate Aikido pioneer, being one of the first students of Yamada Sensei, and even for a time maintaining a studio upstairs at the New York Aikikai. Harry would tell us stories of those early days, before the uchi deshi program was established, and before other shihan relocated to the United States. He would tell us of his times traveling with Sensei abroad.

Harry was also an accomplished painter. His Wikipedia page provides a glimpse of his art, and the film, “Portrait of an Artist”, takes a deeper dive into his process. The premiere of his film in St. Augustine was a well received and joyous occasion. Several of us attended his gallery opening in Jacksonville and can attest to his passion and skill.

A quick Google search shows his talent. He described his art as realistic, and often chose interior spaces as his subject, especially bars and pubs.

But there was more to Harry than just painting and Aikido, much more. He would tell us stories of New York in the 1970’s, which to my ears were just incredible. I loved every minute of it.

Harry was also a dedicated zazen practitioner, and often spoke about actualizing reality. There’s a story about how he came into possession of his car that would make anyone a believer.

Rest in peace, Sensei.