Walter McCarthy
MARINA DEL REY, CA. – Walter McCarthy, age 56, of Southwick, Massachusetts, peacefully entered into the arms of God on March 25, 2019 in Marina Del Rey, CA, surrounded by his loving family. Born in 1962, in Hamburg, NY, Walter was always adventurous and lived life by his own rules. He was diagnosed at age 10 with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes, a chronic condition that required a lifetime of care. His connection to faith and God began as a young boy, when he served as an altar boy, where he enjoyed sneaking and eating communion wafers. In his adult life, he was an active member of the Southwick Community Episcopal Church. He had a lifelong passion for sports, and played ice hockey in his youth. He rooted for New England sports teams, and was a major fan of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. Walter was a 1980 graduate of Simsbury High School in Simsbury, CT, where he was also known for giving staff and teachers a run for their money. He began his journey of settling down when he met the love of his life, Cheryl (Wilson) McCarthy on Martha’s Vineyard in 1981. He leaves behind Cheryl, and their three children, Sean of Playa Del Rey, CA, Amy, of Boston, MA and Ryan, of Southwick, MA, as well as his granddaughter, Alina Nietsche of Worcester, MA. He also leaves behind his mother, Judith McCarthy, of Simsbury, CT and his four siblings, Bridget, Matthew, Brendan and Daniel. He also leaves behind his mother-in-law Lorraine Wilson, of Watertown, CT. Walter also was brother-in-law to Debbie, Mark, Cindy, Tara, Anne and Robert. He was an uncle to Ian, Genevieve, Nathan, Kayleigh, Giuseppe, Brianna, Hannah, Kylie, Marie and recently became a great uncle to Vincenzo. Walter was a “second dad” to the many children who attended Noah’s Ark Family Childcare, and he forever impacted their lives for the better. He was predeceased by his father, Walter J. McCarthy, his father-in-law, Richard L. Wilson and brother-in-law, Scott Richard Wilson. He also leaves behind many wonderful friends and cousins, including Marty Kineke, Paul Clark, Doug Gibbs and Bill Chapman. Walter spent many of his years traveling, camping and boating with his family. He was the manager of the McCarthy family restaurant, One Way Fare, before his chronic illness prevented him from continuing to work. In 2012, he and his family were blessed with the ultimate gift of a kidney and pancreas transplant, which extended his adventures and experiences with loved ones by six and a half years. Walter experienced struggle after struggle with his health, but he remained brave and kept a positive attitude. He could make anyone laugh until they couldn’t breathe. He was tenacious and (almost) never gave up on a project until it was completed. He had a curiosity about people and life, and spent many days tinkering (and swearing) while in his garage. He had the gift of gab, and could talk as much as the day was long. He demonstrated that you could be sober and still be the life of the party, and prided himself on his 32 years of sobriety. Celebrating holidays with family was one of his greatest joys. In recent years, he took many trips to visit his children, having attended the Boston marathon, and seeing the sights with his daughter, Amy, spent extended time exploring the west coast, working on boats and sailing the Pacific, with his son, Sean and attended many ComicCon conventions and art shows in support of his son, Ryan. All of these activities gave him a renewed purpose and much delight. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2019, with calling hours from 10am-12pm and a formal service and reception beginning at 12pm at the Westfield River Brewing Company, 707 College Highway, Southwick, MA 01077. Private burial services will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center c/o Transplant Social Worker, Room HA-200L1 55 Lake Avenue, North, Worcester, MA 01655. Checks can be made payable to: UMASS Memorial Transplant Patient’s Assistance Fund. Walter passed his love of laughter onto all he met, ensuring that his humor will not end with his death.
