A Legacy of Faith: The Story My Parents Left Behind
I recently marked the one-year anniversary of my mother, Peggy McCorkle’s, passing.
It was truly a privilege to call her my mother. Thanks to modern technology, I was able to capture our final conversation in the ICU on my iPhone—a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life. It’s now been six years since my dad left us for heaven. In fact, within the last 9 years, my mom, dad, and sister have all passed away. Now, no one is left in my immediate family with whom I can sit and reminisce, share memories, or laugh about the good old days.
One special blessing that continues to mean a great deal to me is a project my dad began years ago. He decided to record some of the great stories from our family’s history—stories full of heart, humor, and God’s faithfulness. With the help of my son Will, who edited the work, they produced a book titled “At the End of the Day”.
Dad was a truck driver for the Pepsi-Cola Company, an electrician at Duke University, a pastor of three different local congregations, an airplane pilot, and a missionary to the Caribbean islands. He was a devoted husband to Peggy McCorkle for 60 years, a loving father, and a proud grandfather. But to my sister and me, he was simply Dad.
There are so many things I could say about him. He was a man of deep tenderness, unwavering integrity, and steadfast faithfulness—both to his family and to the calling God placed on his life. But there are two stories that stand out to me—stories that I believe reveal the very heart of who he was.
The first takes place when he was a young believer, still early in his walk with Christ. In his late twenties, he felt a strong call to ministry. Without hesitation, and with very little financial stability, he packed up his small family—my mother, my older sister, and me—and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue his education. It was a radical step of faith. They were poor. They had little support. And they were leaving behind the comfort and closeness of home and family. But he believed so deeply in the call of God on his life that he was willing to risk it all. He later went on to earn both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in religious education. That kind of courage, rooted in conviction, is something I’ve never forgotten.
Another memory takes me back to when I was just a child. At the time, he was working to support us while attending Columbia Bible College. His job was with RC Motor Lines, loading trucks in the evenings—a hard job, but one that paid well enough to keep our family afloat. One night, he was asked to load alcohol onto one of the trucks. For many, it might have been just another part of the job. But for him, it struck a nerve. He felt deeply convicted that he shouldn’t be involved in transporting alcohol, even if it meant risking his position. He asked for another task. They refused. That night, they let him go. I remember how heavy his heart was. It wasn’t about the alcohol—it was about obedience. He believed God had spoken, and he was determined to be faithful, even if it came at a cost.
These are just glimpses into the life of a man who quietly, consistently lived out his faith. One of his greatest joys was partnering with Spread Truth Ministries alongside my mother. For years, they stood on the street corners of New York City, sharing the gospel. People were drawn to them, not by flashy words, but by their genuine kindness and love for others.
I miss them both deeply. But I look forward, with hope in my heart, to seeing them again in heaven. And I am encouraged by their example in the faith to keep moving forward.
Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. — Hebrews 12:1-2 (CSB)
