HOLDEN/PORTSMOUTH, RI - Mary M. (Mahoney) McCarthy, 95, died peacefully on May 3, 2019 at Newport Hospital, after a long and happy life. She was a resident of Holden for 45 years before moving to Portsmouth, RI seven years ago.
Mary will be lovingly remembered by her four daughters, M. Christine Welby of Portsmouth, RI, Katharine A. McCarthy of Manchester, CT, Anne F. McCarthy of Ocean Ridge, FL and Virginia M. Bassler of North Attleboro; her son, Richard J. McCarthy of St. Paul, MN; her sister, Patricia Calhoun of North Hollywood, FL; ten grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Edward R. McCarthy; a son, David E. McCarthy; a daughter, Patricia M. McCarthy; a brother, James Mahoney; and her sisters, Sr. Cecilia James, SSJ and Barbara Murphy.
Mary was born in Worcester, on December 19, 1923, the daughter of James and Catherine (O'Shea) Mahoney. She was a graduate of St. Peter's High School and Our Lady of the Elms College, where she was President and Valedictorian of her class. She went on to attend Boston College for her graduate studies, where she met her future husband, Edward R. McCarthy. They were married in 1946.
Edward was a USMC Officer who served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam, retiring as Colonel. As a military wife, Mary was a source of strength and stability for her growing family through many moves and deployments.
She loved being a mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Mary was an active parishioner of St. Mary's Church in Jefferson, serving as a CCD teacher and Eucharistic Minister. Mary relished the opportunity to travel after her children were grown; adding to her life list of birds in Costa Rica and Guatemala, visiting the Holy Land or cruising the rivers of Europe. At home she was a devoted patron of her local library, an avid movie and PBS viewer and looked forward to solving the New York Times crossword puzzle every morning. She will be greatly missed by her loving family.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours from 6 to 8 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 am on Friday, May 10th at St. Mary's Church, 114 Princeton St., Jefferson. Burial will follow at Grove Cemetery, Main St., Holden. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, 577 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104 or the Edward R. McCarthy Scholarship Fund, made payable to Northeastern University School of Law, Office of Development, 400 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115.