Mary A. [Germano] McCarthy died peacefully at home on Thursday, December 11, 2014, with her daughter by her side. She lived fully each day of her life.
She was the eldest child of Frank and Angelina [Rossi] Germano. She was the devoted wife of Joseph J. McCarthy for 65 years who passed on October 18, 2009. She leaves her son James McCarthy and his wife Jeanne of Feeding, Hills, her son, Daniel McCarthy of Southwick, her daughter, Susan McCarthy and her husband, Bruce Barone of West Springfield, and her daughter in law, Eleanor McCarthy of Feeding Hills.
Her grandchildren and great grandchildren were the light of her life. Karen McCarthy and her husband Scott Broderick and their daughter Nina, Kate McCarthy Roy and her husband Chris Roy and their children, Lauren and Owen, and Daniel McCarthy and his wife Andrea and their sons, Dovovan, Griffin and Cullen. Her step grandchildren David and Erica Shlosser and their sons, Colin and Gavin, and Danielle and Mike Suprenant and their daughter, Emily.
She leaves her sister, Helen Singman of Exeter, RI, her brother Raymond Germano and his wife Irene of West Springfield, and her sister Anna Camossi and her husband Bart of West Springfield. Her brother Benny and her sister Lena are deceased. She leaves her sister in law Dorothy Lease of Peru, Indiana.
She leaves many nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors from the Tatham section of West Springfield and elsewhere. Special friends are Theresa Fanelli, Angi Parelli, Peggy Sullivan, and her friends from the Kneedlers group at Grace Luthern Church.
While surviving what some might consider a harsh childhood, she emerged as a confident young woman to marry and raise children. Although she was employed most of her life, her priority was her home, husband, and children. Not particularly religious, she had her own brand of charity and friendship that she spread generously. Not formally educated beyond secondary school, she had high emotional intelligence, she was a people person, overlooked their faults, and gave lovingly.
She was an extrovert and loved all the various positions she held at a book bindery, the Springfield Armory during WWII and during the Vietnam War, Burnam’s Dress Shop and Steigers department store. She and her husband owned two cocktail lounges in Springfield. They also owned and bred pacer horses which raced in NE. After retirement, she also worked as a teacher’s aide in the West Springfield school system. She enjoyed the freedom and independence of having her own car and it was a loss when she could no longer drive.
She loved cooking and baking and taking care of her home. She enjoyed crocheting afghans for her family. She read the newspaper every day, including the WSJ and the NYT on weekends. She watched the stock market and kept up on current affairs and had a keen sense of judgment about right and wrong. She absolutely hated Comcast Cable for their poor offerings and high prices. She enjoyed a glass of red wine or brandy with good company.
There will be a funeral service 10 am Tuesday at the Toomey-O’Brien Funeral Home, 1043 Westfield Street, West Springfield. A committal service will follow at 11am at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, 1390 Main Street, Agawam. Calling hours are 4pm-6pm on Monday at the funeral home. Toomey-O’Brien Funeral Home
