News Detail

John McCain '54: 1936 - 2018

The Hon. Sen. John Sidney McCain III ’54 died Saturday, August 25, 2018. He was 81.
UPDATE 9/8: A page collecting additional information for a longer-term purpose on the EHS website has been created, including much of the information below and links to broadcasts of Sen. McCain's memorial services, at episcopalhighschool.org/mccain

UPDATE 9/4: At Opening Vespers held on September 3, Head of School Charley Stillwell spoke on the legacy of Sen. McCain and "The Lessons of a Full and Remarkable Life." (PDF)

(Updated 8/28, 10:28 a.m. ET) 
The Navy pilot and Vietnam War veteran who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war began his career as a public servant when elected as a U.S. Congressman from Arizona in 1982. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 and served in that role for the remainder of his life. Senator McCain twice ran for President of the United States, first losing in the Republican primaries to George W. Bush in 2000, and then to Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.

He is survived by his wife Cindy; daughters Sidney, Meghan and Bridget; sons Jimmy, Jack, Doug and Andy, and several grandchildren.

On Sunday, his family released the details of his memorial service, which will take place for five days this week in three different cities, additional details for which are available at JohnMcCain.com. On Wednesday, August 29, he will lie in state at the Arizona State Capitol. On Thursday, he will be moved to the North Phoenix Baptist Church for a memorial service celebrating his life and legacy beginning at approximately 10 a.m. PT. On Friday, he will lie in state at the United States Capitol. A formal ceremony celebrating his life and service will begin at 11 a.m. and will be broadcast live. He will lie in state at the Capitol for the remainder of the day. On Saturday, a mass service for invited guests will be held at the National Cathedral. At approximately 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, a private memorial service will be held at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. A private burial will be held in the academy's cemetery following the service.

“This country has lost one of our great public servants,” said Head of School Charley Stillwell, “and our school family has lost one of our most inspirational examples of the intellectual and moral courage our school’s mission calls on us to develop in each of our graduates. Whether in overcoming the challenges of his captivity in Hanoi or passionately pursuing in the Senate policies to strengthen the country, Sen. McCain has given all of us powerful lessons in what living an honorable life can mean.”

As a three-year student at Episcopal, Senator McCain was a talented athlete who played football, wrestling, and tennis. As a senior, he wrestled in the 127-pound weight class and held the record for “fastest pin” for two years. He also served on the staff of The Chronicle (newspaper) and Whispers (yearbook), Dramatics Club, E Club, Missionary Society, and Blackford Literary Society, among others.

At the time, the student body was 240 boys and 22 faculty members, and the annual tuition was $1,400. The School observed a Sunday and Monday weekend, rather than Saturday and Sunday.

The EHS Honor Code, which is one of the oldest among secondary schools, was as important to student life in the 1950s as it is today. When asked what about his Episcopal experience had the greatest impact on his life, the Senator once responded in a visit to the School community in 2008, “My exposure to the Honor Code, which has guided me throughout my life.” (Full transcript of McCain's 2008 speech at Episcopal High School available here.)

Senator McCain kept close ties to the School over the decades. In “Faith of My Fathers,” a memoir published in 1999, the Senator described fond memories of his years at Episcopal and the confidence he gained from his experience and teachers, particularly English teacher William B. Ravenel, about whom he wrote: “Were William B. Ravenel the only person I remember from high school, I would credit those days as among the best of my life.”

In 1987, the Senator received the Distinguished Alumnus Award. In 2001, the School presented Senator McCain with the Phillips Integrity in Action Award, “recognizing his life of service, which epitomizes the highest ideals of honor and integrity – values that are at the core of Episcopal High School,” then-Headmaster Rob Hershey wrote at the time.

A SAMPLE OF MEDIA LINKS REMEMBERING SEN. McCAIN:
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND THINKPIECES:
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