Richard Stanton Mccord

Richard (Dick) Stanton McCord, 80, died March 26 at the Bob Stump VA Medical Center in Prescott, Arizona after a long ballte wilth melanoma.   Dick was born August 20, 1928 in College Springs, IA., son of Leroy William and Eleanor (Stanton) McCord. Later, the family moved to Omaha NE and Dick began a professional career as a jazz drummer. While still in high school, Dick traveled with a number of midwestern bands and played in the best ballrooms across the Midwest and eventually between both coasts.  He joined the US Army in 1951. He returned to Omaha and attended the University of Omaha studying pre-med and served as a sports trainer. Also during the 1950?s he worked as a physical therapist with polio patients and as an administrator with the Multiple Sclerosis Society. He continued to play drums and was the first-call drummer in Omaha through the mid-1960?s. He played with the Eddie Haddad Orchestra, which performed on weekly television shows, and a number of musicians in Omaha, including pianist Rusty Draper. McCord and Draper composed the Presidental campaign song for Richard Nixon in 1960.   Dick relocated in Denver in the late 1970?s to pursue his career as a mortgage broker with Silverado Savings and Loan. After retiring, he and his wife Mary moved to Arizona and eventually settled in Prescott which he often spoke of as his favorite place to live. Many in Prescott will remember him playing the washboard with the Geritol Hipsters, a jazz group that plays for Veteran?s Birthday parties at the VA hospital and other senior events in Nothern Arizona. They were 2001, 2002, ad 2005 gold medal winners of the National Veterans Creative Arts Festivals.   Surviving are his wife Mary, Prescott, AZ, daughters; Kimberly McCord, Bloomington, IL and Pamela McCord, Madison, WI. And siser, Patricia Roonery, Omaha. Ne. He was preceded in death by a brother Robert, grandson, Daniel McGill and nephew, Michael Rooney.   A memorial celebration will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, March 30 at the VAMC Chapel in Prescott with a reception to follow in the theater, building 14. Inurnment will be at 2;00 p.m. Tuesday, March 31 at the National Cemetery of Arizona   The family suggests donation to the University of Arizona Cancer Research Center, % of Dr. Evan Hersh, 1515 N. Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ 85724-001