Helen McCarthy

Helen S. McCarthy "Our Ray of Sunshine" Born: July 29th, 1921 Died: April 28th, 2011 Helen Sinnott McCarthy passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday morning, April 28th. She was known by friends and family as a loving and fun person. Indeed, after she retired from teaching, her Principal, Elmore Soggen said, "There goes our ray of sunshine". The same sentiment all of us feel today. She is survived by her two sons, Tim and Dan, who cherished every moment of their life with her. She also leaves behind three loving grandchildren, Priscilla, Madeleine, and Timothy James as well as many wonderful nieces and nephews of the Sinnott, Smith and Bone Families. She will also be missed by the Roses, Barsochinnis, Hurleys, Stewarts, Weis's and so many other fond friends. Her son, Tim's wife, Kirsten Hydorn McCarthy, also knew Helen since her childhood days and thinks back fondly on those days when Helen and her mom, Diane, would make hotdogs for all the kids at St Bartholomew's grammar school in San Mateo. She also remembers fondly many of her mother-in-law's 'pearls of wisdom' -- like, "Always line up your excuses far in advance!" Helen was born in Baltimore where her father and mother were living briefly as he was a famous race horse trainer. Her family came originally from Livermore and Piedmont. She graduated from Notre Dame High School and Holy Names College in the East Bay. She loved to refer to her college jokingly as "Homely Dames College of Unwed Mothers", which gives the readers a peek into her sense of humor. She seriously loved her college days and remained close to many of her school friends. Helen taught grammar school for 5 years at the Longfellow school in Alameda, California during and after the war. After retiring from teaching and after her children were settled in school, Helen designed and built over 20 homes on the Peninsula. Throughout her life, she was an avid collector of antique books and loved to write. She met her husband, Timothy D. McCarthy, or "Teddy" as he was called, in August of 1949 and they were married in November. Ted became a senior executive in the meat business, but died young in an auto crash in 1969. She often referred to him as her "Whirling Dervish" ! The family is having a private memorial at their home in Hillsborough. Her wish is to be cremated by the Neptune Society in Belmont and her ashes placed with her husband at Holy Cross Cemetary in Colma. May we all enjoy life and be half as active as Helen. Her parting words to her sons sum it up best. "So, what are we going to do now ?"