Steven Coath McCarthy

McCARTHY, Steven Coath, June 14, 1945 to September 27, 2015. A Jersey boy who fell in love with Richmond, he decided to stay a while. Fifty years later, Steven Coath McCarthy had dedicated his life as a public servant to the people of his adopted home state, built his dream home, married his dream girl, raised twin sons, and unbeknownst to him, become a true Virginia gentleman. Born in New York City in 1945, Steve attended Chatham High School in New Jersey, and returned in 2008 for his 45th Class Reunion and Chatham High "Great Reunion." By all accounts (many embellished over time), his childhood in Chatham was a storied slice of 1950s life in small-town America. In 1963, Steve enrolled at the University of Richmond, earning his undergraduate degree in 1968. He returned in 1970 to attend graduate school in psychology after serving two years with the U.S. Army in the 1st Infantry Division and 2nd Division of the 34th Armor Battalion as Second Lieutenant in Vietnam. In 1972, Steve began work as a Delinquency Prevention Specialist for the Virginia Department of Youth Services, launching a career that spanned nearly three decades of service to the people of the state of Virginia, two of which he worked tirelessly as an analyst with the Department of Planning and Budget for the Governor of Virginia. Steve's endlessly inquisitive mind and creative spirit were infectious. A conversation about his passions, whether it was dogs, photography, archaeology, windsurfing, travel, or life-long love (both repeated acquisition and occasional racing) of sports cars, revealed a deeply philosophical truth about Steven's view of life: Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Dive into it with all your heart and don't look back. In 1985, a blind date brought Dr. Andrea Miksa into Steve's life. Remember that dream girl? Steve and Andy married in 1990 and though many would argue it didn't need to be spoken, Steve proudly did as often as he could, he had hit the jackpot. Steve and Andy continued to work long hours, but also saw the world. Their travels took them to Italy, Paris and all over the Caribbean. Good thing, because Steve's retirement would turn out to be somewhat unorthodox. In June of 2002, Steve and Andy brought their new sons, Marc and Jack McCarthy into the world. In the face of a prolonged battle with cancer, Steve raised his boys with an energy and perseverance nothing short of miraculous. To say...

Published by Joseph W. Bliley Funeral Home | Full obituary