Jane Brandon McCarthy

Jane McCarthy was the first baby born in New York City in 1926. Our grandmother often liked to recall how she heard the sounds of the New Year being celebrated outside of the hospital window as Jane made her debut. She met the love of her life in a floating Bridge game on the campus of Columbia University. And on Tuesday, August 7th, Jane left this life surrounded by her loving family and the devoted staff of Ivy Place in Boise, Idaho. The daughter of Stephen Brandon and Mary (Downey) Brandon, Jane grew up in Brooklyn, Manhattan and New York’s Hudson River Valley. She studied Psychology at St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn and worked with special needs children. Following WWII, she met a young Major John R. (Randy) McCarthy during his Ph.D. studies at Columbia University, and they married in 1949. Together for 54 years in Wilmington, DE and Kennett Square, PA, they raised four children, enjoyed seven grandchildren, and celebrated many good friends and extended family members in an open, welcoming home. In addition to being a very active homemaker and mother, Jane was always community-concerned and church-centered. She was president of both the Ladies of St. Patrick and the St. Patrick’s Home & School Association, working together with other parents to raise funds for the construction of a school library. As president of the Needlework Guild, she helped direct clothing and household goods to immigrant and underserved communities of Chester County. She was active in delivering meals to shut-ins with the Kennett chapter of Meals on Wheels. Her love of gardening brought years of dedication to the beautification of the Kennett Square business district through Kennett’s garden clubs. And her devotion to St. Patrick’s Church saw her join with the Altar & Rosary Society to clean and decorate the church for every occasion. Jane was a dedicated docent for Winterthur Museum and loved to share her knowledge of American antiques collected by the duPont family. She enjoyed digging through antique shops, old bookstores and flea markets just to appreciate the overlooked and the undiscovered. When Randy passed away, she moved to Boise to be near her daughter and promptly discovered that Boise Public Library needed a volunteer to run their bookshop. She also enjoyed helping her daughter entertain a wonderful group of friends from around the world. She is survived by her children Dan (Regina) McCarthy of Pittsburgh, PA, Paul (Dorothy Dugger) of Lutz, FL, Jeannie (Adrian) Jaggi of Boise, ID and Steve (Kathy) of West Chester, PA. She is also survived by grandchildren Brandon McCarthy of Pittsburgh, PA, Katie (Elena Gambino) McCarthy of Minneapolis, MN, Annie McCormick (Michael) of Jacksonville, FL, Justin McCarthy of West Chester, PA, Virginia Jaggi of Boise, ID, Laura McCarthy of Wexford, PA and Kelly Anne McCarthy of Washington, DC. We are all greatly appreciative and indebted to Jeannie and her family for the loving daily care they provided to our mother, In Boise, over the past 14 years. An open-house celebration of Jane’s life will be held on Saturday, October 27h at The Kennett Square Inn from 1:00 – 4:00. Friends and family are welcome! In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to Catholic Charities, 721 N. LaSalle, Chicago, IL 60654 (www.catholiccharities.net/donate) or Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (www.komen.org).