Sylvia McCarthy

Sylvia Dean (Snyder) McCarthy, treasured mother, wife, sister, and friend, of Hanover, passed away on May 21, 2025 at the age of 91 with family by her side. She was born and raised in Rockland, daughter of the late William and Mary (Buckingham) Snyder and the sister of the late Dolores Burpee, Janet Condon and John Snyder.
She was a member of the Rockland High School class of 1951, and she met the love of her life, the late David Otis McCarthy, Jr. at a roller skating rink dance. She asked him to skate because it was a Sadie Hawkins dance and ladies choice. The rest was history as she would later explain to us. They celebrated 70 years of marriage (Flag Day, June 14th) together and truly lived a wonderful love story. After graduation, Sylvia and David bought land from her father and cleared it to build a home on Brick Kiln Lane in North Pembroke that they would later raise their three children in and only move out of when they were in their late 80's. They adopted twin daughters, Kelly Dean McCarthy, of Hingham, MA and Karyn Dianne (McCarthy) Akley, of Hanover, MA in 1961 and four years later adopted their son David Brian McCarthy, of St. Petersburg, FL.
She enjoyed working outside the home and meeting new people, spending many years waitressing at the former Toll House restaurant and at the former North River House restaurant. She was actively involved with the Pembroke and Hanover Libraries. Sylvia will be remembered as a gourmet cook and baker and the neighborhood party planner as well as the family host for parties, cookouts and social gatherings. She was known for having epic yard sales where people would stop by for great deals and more importantly her coffee and homemade treats. She was a voracious reader, and appreciator of beautiful music as well as the theater. She could sew, knit and crochet, plus she was a wonderful gardener. She loved family vacations in their Winnebago motorhome, and later in life cruise trips as well as visiting various countries in Europe, and above all, her family.
She is survived by her three children, Karyn's husband Richard T. Akley and grandson, Shaun A. McCarthy, and her daughter-in-law Tracy A. (Poplasky) McCarthy and grandchildren David J. McCarthy, Casey M. (McCarthy) Sticco and her husband Ben Sticco and Madison R. McCarthy and her partner Shane Miller, as well as her great granddaughter Lyla M. Miller. We will be forever grateful for hitting the lottery when we were adopted by Sylvia and David.
Donations in her memory can be made to the Pembroke Public Library and the John Curtis Free Library in Hanover.
Private burial services will be held at a later date at Bourne National Cemetery.