Frank McCarthy

1924 - 2015

Frank V. McCarthy

1924 - 2015 LEE Wednesday, April 29th, Frank V. McCarthy, 90, received his final wish of passing away at his home on Navin Heights, Lee, surrounded by both family and the wonderful caregivers who shared in the later part of his life. Frank was born December 3, 1924 to Charles E. and Alice F. (Menton) McCarthy in Brockton, Mass. He attended local public schools graduating from Brockton High School in 1943. Drafted into the U.S. Navy November 1, 1943, he was assigned to the navy's V-12 program (wartime ROTC) at Tufts College, Medford, Mass. His first day there he was called into the office of the Tufts vice president, and was told "McCarthy if it wasn't for the war, people like you wouldn't be here." He thanked the VP for telling the truth. He was transferred in July 1944 to the naval architecture and marine engineering curriculum at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which at that time was engaged in a crash program to perfect radar for the navy. After the war in Europe ended, V-12 was greatly reduced and Frank was assigned to radio schools in North Chicago, Ill., and Dearborn, Mich. then to LST (Landing Ship Tank) 660 in San Francisco Bay to service their diesel electric generators to assure night lights in that busy bay until the ships were scrapped. After being discharged in Boston in May 1946 and intent on a career in "news papering," he became a messenger boy at The Boston Herald-Traveler. While there Frank re-entered Tufts as an English major, graduating with a Bachelor in Arts degree in 1949 followed by a job as a news librarian at the Journal-Bulletin in Providence, Rhode Island. The arrival of a newly hired reporter at the Journal set in motion an investigative effort by Frank to find the opening positions caused by this new hire. His efforts were rewarded with a news reporter job at The St. Johnsbury Daily Caledonian Record for $45 per week. Frank remained in Vermont until he was admitted to the Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University in New York from which he was awarded a Master's Degree in Science in 1952. Frank's aspirations to be a print journalist brought him to Berkshire County in 1953 for a position with The Berkshire Evening Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. His 36 year career with "The Eagle" began as the Lee-Lenox reporter and eventually the opening of the Lee-Lenox-Stockbridge bureau for the paper. As a strong advocate for local news, Frank's reporting, writing and photography skills won him recognition within "The Eagle" and promotions to County Editor, then Managing Editor before retiring in 1989. uring Frank's later years at "The Eagle," Berkshire Community College (BCC) hired him to teach journalism and to serve as faculty adviser to BCC's campus weekly, the Rag Times. His love of teaching journalism also extended to the Eagle reporters he mentored. Some of these reporters went on to larger roles in national news organizations. Frank, too, was offered opportunities to move to regional, national and international print news, but consistently decided to keep his family in Berkshire County. That family began with marriage to Concetta "Connie" Scipione of Pittsfield, Mass. on May 12, 1956. The home they built in Lee was eventually filled with the activities of their four children: Mary Anne, Patrick, Jean and Daniel. In addition to Frank's involvement in his children's activities such as Scouting, he served several years on the Lee town Conservation Commission, as a town meeting member, ten years on the Lee Housing Authority, lector at St. Mary's Church, member of Greenock Country Club and tour guide at Herman Melville's Arrowhead home. Golf, skiing, yearly trips to Cape Cod, clock making, wood working and global travels to visit his children also enriched Frank's life through the years. A debilitating stroke on Oct. 5, 1995 began a new phase of Frank's life. So characteristic of Depres-sion-era children, Frank literally took life's new challenge in stride and regained some ability to walk. His previous, diverse activities were replaced with daily shuffles up and down the neighborhood street while reciting the names of his childhood friends and colleagues so they would not be forgotten. The kindness of neighbors and Lee residents was always present when Frank would push his limits and end up a Joe's Diner or the Morgan House. The stroke did not disable Frank's love of journalism. Despite being reduced to one-finger typing, he continued to write columns for "The Eagle," the Berkshire Record-Courier and the Brockton Enterprise for many years. The devotion of his wife, Connie, who provided all his in-home care until she herself required assistance made all of this possible for Frank and was a powerful example of love and the commitment of marriage. Mr. McCarthy leaves his wife Concetta McCarthy of Lee; daughters, Mary Anne Cicarelli and her husband, Frank, of Huntington, N.Y., and Jean Woletz and her husband, Chuck, of Seattle, Washi.; two sons, Patrick and his wife, Yong Suk, of Jericho, Vt., and Daniel and his wife, Joanne, of Hatfield, Mass. Frank also leaves nine grandchildren, Jessica, Alan Frank, Jenna, Benjamin, Joseph, Samuel, Zachary, and Sebastian. Frank was pre-deceased by his brothers, Raymond and Robert McCarthy; and sister ,Arlene Yezewski. FUNERAL NOTICE: The funeral will be held Wednesday morning, May 6, at 10:15 a.m. from KELLY FUNERAL HOME in Lee with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Church in Lee. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery. Visiting hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday, May 5, from 4 - 7 p.m. Friends wishing to make donations may do so to Western Mass Hospice or Columbia Journalism School Class of '52 Fund (journalism scholarships) in care of the Kelly Funeral Home at 3 Main Street, Lee, MA 01238. If you would like to leave a message of condolence or share pictures or stories please visit our website at www.kellyfuneralhome.net.