Joanne McCarthy

Joanne McCarthy passed away surrounded by the love she cultivated through a life marked by compassion, curiosity, and quiet determination.

Joanne was a devoted traveler whose adventures took her across the globe, always eager to experience new places and cultures. Closer to home, she was an avid Boston Celtics fan for decades, cheering faithfully through every season. She balanced that passion with remarkable discipline and heart, running multiple full and half marathons in support of national breast cancer fundraising efforts, causes she believed in deeply and supported tirelessly.

When not on the move, Joanne found joy in quieter pleasures, particularly British murder mysteries, which she delighted in solving alongside their clever detectives. Her proudest legacy, however, was her more than 20 years of volunteer service at the Quincy Animal Shelter. Through her dedication, countless animals found care and compassion, and it was there that Joanne met and adopted her beloved dog, Thor, her constant companion and source of great joy.

Joanne leaves behind her best friend, Ruth Dwyer Quincy, Massachusetts; her brother, Barry McCarthy, and sister-in-law, Joan McCarthy of Exeter, New Hampshire; her niece, Stacy McCarthy of Charleston, South Carolina; and her nephew, Derek McCarthy of Mesa, Arizona. She is also lovingly remembered by her nephews and their families: Christopher Pool and his wife Jessica of Exeter, New Hampshire, Jason Pool and his wife Meredith of Exeter, New Hampshire, and Lea Lewkowski and her husband Ilan of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Joanne was a cherished great-aunt to Cecelia and Andrew Cogliano of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, as well as to Eytan and Oren Lewkowski of Haverhill, Massachusetts.

Joanne will be remembered for her generosity, her loyalty, and her unwavering commitment to the things, and beings, she loved most. Her legacy lives on in the miles she ran for others, the animals she saved, and the lives she touched along the way.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to greet the family during the visitation from 12-2 PM on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock Street, QUINCY.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joanne’s name may be made to the Quincy Animal Shelter

Quincy Animal Shelter: P.O. Box 690088, Quincy MA, 02269-0088