Thomas William McCarthy

Tom was born in Oakland to Thomas and Catherine McCarthy. His sister Joan was 5 years older. Tom was raised in Oakland, and attended Bishop O'Dowd High School, San Jose State University, and San Francisco State University.
His Irish heritage was important to him, and it continued when his first cousin, also named Tom, came from Ireland to live with them. With birthdays all within two days of each other, it was a very special occasion to celebrate annually for the three Toms.
Tom started working at the VA Medical Center in 1966, and retired in 2014 after 47 ½ years as a Recreation Therapist. He worked with a wide variety of hospitalized patients, and the multitude of programs offered. However, he found his greatest enjoyment when he transitioned to the Spinal Cord Injury Service in 1982. It was there that he became involved in wheelchair sports, organizing both Summer and Winter games for patients and their families. His sincere work ethic and dedication to the patients, families, staff, and volunteers meant everything to him. He truly missed them all when he retired.
As a side job, purely for enjoyment, he taught 1-2 classes a week for Foothill College, over the span of 25 years. They ranged from Current Events at senior living facilities, swimming on campus, and to most recently hiking in the local county parks.
Tom met his wife Barbara in 1977 when she worked at the VA as part of the Foothill College Program that was held there. They married in 1982 in St. Croix. Their early days together were filled with travel, where they enjoyed meeting people from all cultures. One of their most memorable trips was to Ireland in 1984. There Tom was finally able to visit the ancestral family farm and homestead in Meenala, Co. Kerry, where his dad grew up. Meeting his large extended family for the first time remained one of Tom's treasured memories.
Tom's hobbies over the years included skiing, golf, racquetball, running, home projects, collecting antique things, gardening, following the stock market, and of course all things sports-- particularly betting and picking a winner! The 80's found him at Lake Tahoe to catch the Super Bowl on the big movie screen at a casino, and his favorite way to spend his birthday was an annual trip to Las Vegas for playing Blackjack and Sports Book betting.
Tom was a very sensitive person-aware of the needs of others, and also very humble. He didn't enjoy public recognition, but he was extremely grateful to be honored with the Speedy Award from the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) in 2008. Tom was impressed by the Palo Alto Elks and their dedication to serving the hospitalized veterans with their various activities, both on the ward and in the community. Thus, Tom joined the Elks lodge as a member and also was honored with the Elk of the Year award in 2014.
To remember Tom is to appreciate that he was a very special person, and he sincerely tried to make all people feel special! Tom always believed in maintaining a sense of humor. He had a happy laugh! Let's believe that he is picking winners every day now!
Tom is survived by his wife Barbara McCarthy of Los Altos, and cousin Tom McCarthy (Margaret), and family of San Francisco.
A private interment was held at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.
A memorial celebration will be held on June 21st. Please email for details: pastel@pacbell.net
Donations may be made to the Spinal Cord Injury Recreation Therapy General Post Fund (GPF) 2276, which supports all SCI Recreation Therapy programs Veterans.
Donors can write a check to VAPAHCS GPF 2276 and send to:
VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Attn: Alisa Krinsky, Assistant Chief, RTCAT Service
3801 Miranda Ave (11K-PAD)
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Nothing you love is lost. Not really.
Things, people-they always go away, sooner or later.
You can't hold them, any more than you can hold moonlight.
But if they've touched you, if they are inside you, then they're still yours.
The only things you ever really have are the ones you hold inside your heart.
-Bruce Coville