Charles P. McCarthy

Waltham – ON the fifteenth of February, 1948 twenty-three year old Charlie McCarthy, a native of Ballyisland, Skibbereen, County Cork stepped aboard the SS Washington docked at the Port of Cobh, on Ireland's southern coast. He was Passenger No. 5.

What awaited him on the other side of the Atlantic were hopes and dreams mixed in with a fair amount of apprehension and anxiety. When the Washington docked in New York Harbor he figured out how to get to an aunt's house in a place called Quincy, Massachusetts.

There he found family and food and work and shelter that validated his long held belief that this idea called America is exactly where God wanted him to be. Never afraid of a challenge and having the mindset to never do anything just half-way Charlie joined the United States Army long before he became a citizen and proudly served his new nation as a corporal in the 101st Airborne Division during the Korean War.

When he got out of the service he married and settled in Waltham where he built his own home and where he and his wife raised their family of ten children. A stone mason by trade Charlie worked long hard hours and enjoyed every minute of it.

His leathered hands and tanned face belied the fact that he was also a student of literature and poetry, a follower of politics and lover of history who had a fine ear for Irish music. His stories of his life were the stories of America and always fascinating to listen to.

Mr. Charles P. McCarthy, of West Concord, formerly of Waltham, died on Sunday, April 30, 2017 in the Veterans Adminsitration Hospital in West Roxbury. He was 92.

Charlie was born in County Cork on November 1, 1924, one of five children born to the late Denis and Margaret (Murphy) McCarthy. He was the last to go.

In addition to all of the other things he did he loved his family the most.

He leaves his children, John M. McCarthy of Bedford, Kevin C. McCarthy of Lowell, Mary Pat Lowe of Stoughton, Dennis J. McCarthy and his wife, Angel, of Billerica, Ann Marie Feeney and her husband, Frank, of Hingham, Susan M. Brady and her husband, Paul, of Wayland, Jane E. Taranto and her husband, Stephen, of Waltham, Daniel G. McCarthy and his wife, Miriam, of Lowell, Joan C. Cappadona and her husband, Bob, of Waltham and Eileen McCarthy of Norwood; his grandchildren, Patrick and Connor McCarthy, Charles McCarthy and his wife, Alison, Margaret Nolan and her husband, Erik, Tara Majxner and her husband, Matthew, Matthew and Christina Lowe, Joseph, Andrew, and Joy Marie McCarthy, Colleen, Brendan and Devin Feeney, Leah, Shane and Jake Brady, Johnna and Jacey Taranto, Shannon and Erik McCarthy, Bryanna, Brian, and Bobby Cappadona; his great-grandchildren, Lucy Nolan, twins Jack and Miles McCarthy and Noah Majxner and many nieces and nephews.

Charlie was the former husband of the late Christina M. (Cloonan) McCarthy; father of the late Judith McCarthy; grandfather of the late Traves McCarthy and a brother of the late Eileen Hegarty and Florence 'Finn', Denis 'Sonny' and John McCarthy.

Family and friends will honor and remember Charles' life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday May 7th from 3 to 7 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to the New England Center and Home for Veterans, P.O. Box 845257, Boston, MA 02284.