Colonel Albert Joseph "Al" McCarthy Jr.

1936 - 2017

Colonel Albert "Al" Joseph McCarthy, Jr.

Virginia Beach - Colonel Albert "Al" Joseph McCarthy, Jr. USMC Retired, 81, passed away in his sleep on the 30th of November at Our Lady of Perpetual Help nursing home. Al was born in Syracuse, New York on August 11, 1936, to Albert Joseph McCarthy, Sr. and Jane (O'Connor) McCarthy. He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter, and by his loving wife of 58 years, Marcella (Muglia) McCarthy. He is survived by his four sons and their families: Mike and Katie of Portland, OR; Timothy and Terri of Boone, NC; Christopher and Mary of Virginia Beach, VA; and James and Kristin of Elon, NC; and a total of eight grandchildren.

Growing up in and around Syracuse, Al worked in the family flower shop and played football in high school. While helping his father during amateur auto races, he developed a lifelong passion for cars and over the years was the proud owner of a Fiat Multipla, two Volkswagen busses, a 1936 Bentley Shooting Brake, and a 1928 Jordan Blue Boy, amongst others.

Al met Marcy while attending LeMoyne College in Syracuse, where he graduated with a BA in Political Science and was the senior class president. Shortly after graduating, he was commissioned in the Marine Corps, married Marcy, and together they began a 58 year journey moving around the world and raising four boys. Al was veteran of the Vietnam War ('67-'68) and also served in Ethiopia, California, New York, Hawaii, Japan, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Korea, and Headquarters Marine Corps. He commanded Marines at the company, battalion and regimental levels before retiring as a Colonel in 1989. Following retirement, he served on the board of the Alfred A. Cunningham Aviation Museum and taught public speaking.

At six feet, four inches tall, Al's generosity matched his stature. He was active in the Boy Scouts as his sons grew up, was a Knight of Columbus (4th Degree), participated in the reading for the blind program at the local public radio station, and never met a dog he didn't like. He also loved the lakes and forests of the Adirondacks, played ukulele, and added his strong tenor voice to choirs, quartets, and every party he could; this is how we will remember him.

The family would like to thank all of dad's friends who stayed in touch over the years, and the caregivers at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Navy Marine Corps Relief Society, The Alzheimer's Association, or The Semper Fi Fund.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:30 AM, Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at Church of the Ascension, 4853 Princess Anne Road in Virginia Beach. A burial with full military honors will take place at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. Online condolences may be offered to the family at hdoliver.com.