Thomas F. McCartney

Thomas Francis McCartney, a lifelong Baltimore native and dedicated family man, passed away on December 14, 2024. Tom was raised on Grantley Street in West Baltimore alongside his three sisters: Mary Carol (Tollie), Ruth Eileen (Eileen), and Florence Elizabeth (Bo) by his parents Ruth and Joe McCartney. Tom is survived by his sister Bo; his three daughters and their husbands and children: Sara McCartney (m. Michael Rouch), Shannon Bloodworth (m. Brad Bloodworth) and Katie Thorn (m. Jeff Thorn); Adam, Matthew, & Ryan Rouch (19,17,14); Madison and Charlie Bloodworth (20, 14); and Abbey, Jake and Penelope Thorn (15,13, 9).
Born on October 11, 1945, as a boy Tom enjoyed summers in Ocean City with his family and playing stickball with the neighborhood kids on Grantley Street. He worked for the Baltimore Sun as his father and grandfather did before him and was an altar boy at St. Bernadine's. Tom attended Loyola Blakefield High School (class of 1963) and graduated from Loyola College (class of 1967) with a Bachelor's of Science in Economics. After college, he entered the Army and was assigned to the 303rd Maintenance Battalion in Nuremberg, Germany. Just prior to his overseas assignment, Tom asked Jean Ann Kyle to marry him and she said yes. They married January 4, 1969 and Jean joined Tom in Germany immediately following their wedding. Later that year, Tom was promoted to Captain and stationed in Seoul, South Korea. It is important to point out that this is where Tom's softball team had a rags to riches story and won a softball championship. It was basically the highlight of his military career - at least it is if you ask any of his children what he did in the Army. Tom and Jean returned home to Baltimore, MD in November of 1970 after Tom was honorably discharged from the Army. They began a family once they were back stateside and Tom began his 40-year career with Sears Roebuck where he stayed until he retired.
Tom's daughters Sara, Shannon, and Katie were the great loves of his life - although they had a knack for making him crazy. He coached their softball and basketball teams when they were young, and never missed a game or a swim meet or a dance recital. He also never flinched when asked the outdated and pedestrian question "Don't you wish you had a boy?" His answer was always just an easy, "No." Fun times consisted of playing ball together, playing in the ocean, watching him run around a track, playing hours of racquetball, tennis, poker, puzzles and even solitaire together. They loved listening to music together and dancing up a storm whenever the opportunity arose. The one thing he probably didn't love was playing golf with them as none of them could stop laughing long enough to pay attention – that part made him crazy, but it made him laugh a lot too.
Tom enjoyed every bit of retired life - he went to Ireland and made fast friends with everyone in any pub and kissed the Blarney Stone alongside his sisters and beloved brother-in-law, Jim; traveled to India for his part-time job with Columbia Association (that is a crazy story, but truly happened!), went to Hawaii with Sara, went to Israel with Shannon and floated in the Dead Sea, worked at Patrick's as a bartender (where he relied strongly on his Irish Charm), worked in the ProShop at Hobbit's Glen Golf Course, and was an avid lover of his Old Liners softball team. He played for other teams as well if they ever needed a player - basically if you were playing softball or golf, Tom was in. He also loved annual family vacations to Duck, NC; was a mainstay at the Loyola Blakefield v. Calvert Hall Turkey Bowl with his Loyola Buddies, loved Thanksgiving and 4th of July with his sisters, and enjoyed going to the VA to hang with friends. Tom basically wrote the Master Class on how to retire and make the most of your life and enjoyed himself immensely doing so many new things and being with people he loved.
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Tom's greatest legacy might be that of "Pops". He was beloved by his eight grandchildren and he lit up when he was with them. He never hesitated to help with anything they wanted or needed – just say the word and he was there. He was a consistent and loving part of their lives helping with many drop-off and pick-up duties, attending their many performances or sporting events, and participating in all the holidays and family traditions that will live on through his legacy.
Services for Tom will be held at Witzke's in Ellicott City (4112 Old Columbia Pike; Ellicott City, 21043) on Friday December 12th. Visitation with the family will occur from 10-11am and a service will be held in his honor from approximately 11-12pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake.