Robert I. McCarthy

Senator Robert I. McCarthy December 6, 1920 - November 29, 2007 Robert I. McCarthy, former State Senator and Assembly member from San Francisco, and director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, died on Thur, Nov. 29, in San Francisco. He was 86. He attended St. Ignatius High School and the University of San Francisco, graduating in 1942, magna cum laude. Commissioned a second lieutenant on graduation, he took part in the Normandy Invasion in 1943. He also saw action in the Battle of the Bulge, for which he was awarded a Bronze Star. After the war he attended U.S.F. Law School, completing the Veteran's Program in two years. He was elected to the California Assembly in 1948, as the Democratic representative for San Francisco. In 1954 he ran successfully for the State Senate, serving one term. In 1957 he hosted an interview program on Channel 9, called "What do you Think?" The panelists took sides on contemporary issues, including censorship in libraries, commercial fishing versus sport fishermen and legislative reapportionment. A candidate for California Attorney General in 1958, McCarthy was defeated by Stanley Mosk. He was then appointed director of the Department of Motor Vehicles by Governor Edmund (Pat) Brown. While head of the department he inaugurated a controversial statewide campaign against drunk drivers. After a well-published disagreement with Gov. Brown, McCarthy resigned. He practiced law and became a partner in the senior Robert McCarthy's construction firm, which developed Loch Lomond subdivision, shopping center and yacht harbor in San Rafael. McCarthy is survived by Elizabeth Caulfield McCarthy, his wife of 61 years; son, Robert McCarthy, III, of Santa Rosa; and nine daughters: Maureen McCarthy of Copenhagen, Denmark, Monica McCarthy of Davis, Margery McCarthy Hall of Rockville, MD, Sheila McCarthy O'Brien of Sebastopol, Jennifer McCarthy of Washington, DC, Elizabeth McCarthy of Berkeley, Isabel McCarthy of Concord, Cathleen McCarthy of San Francisco and Brigid McCarthy of Washington DC; and Colleen McCarthy who died in 2001. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren. His only brother, State Senator Jack McCarthy of San Rafael died in 1980. Asked after he left political office if he missed it, McCarthy paused and replied, "It's the only game in town!" A Church Service will be held at Notre Dame de Victories in San Francisco at 10:00 a.m. on December 5.