Dr. James L. McCarthy

Dr. James "Jim" L. McCarthy, current resident of Notre Dame du Lac in Worcester and former resident of Holden, passed away at Worcester's UMass Memorial Hospital on July 1, 2009. He was 87 years old, and death was by natural causes.

Dr. McCarthy was a long-time professor of economics, first at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, and later, from 1969 to 1994, at Worcester's Assumption College. He was a full professor of economics at both institutions and was also the first Dean of the Canisius College School of Business Administration. Dr. McCarthy had taught for several years at Assumption's summer institute for high school economics teachers, prior to his final move to Assumption as a full-time faculty member. He taught many college students in many different courses throughout his career. He was principally a macroeconomist with interests in finance and money and banking, and his research covered subjects from the copper industry to the Canadian economy.

Dr. McCarthy was born in Framingham on April 2, 1922, and grew up in nearby Millis. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (then Massachusetts State College) in 1943. After World War II service in Europe as an officer of the 19th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized), he earned a masters degree from the University of Connecticut and a doctorate from Yale University.

It was at the University of Massachusetts that Jim McCarthy met his beloved wife of 55 years, Barbara Bemis of Spencer, who predeceased him in 2000. He was also predeceased by his sister, Mary Metz of Miami, Florida.

Together, Jim and Barbara McCarthy raised ten children. He is survived by them and their families: His six sons are Jim McCarthy of Dallas, Texas, Dr. Thomas McCarthy of Pacific Palisades, California, David McCarthy of Cape Neddick, Maine, Michael McCarthy of Pittsfield, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick McCarthy, USA (RET) of Chesapeake, Virginia, and Steven McCarthy of Holden; and his four daughters are Jean Ewell of St. Louis, Missouri, Margaret Herzig of Lexington, Janice Maki of Woodbury, Connecticut and Theresa McCarthy of Austin, Texas.

It was Jim's blessing to have twenty grandchildren and two great-grandchildren at the time of his death, with another great-grandson on the way. In his later years, he spoke often and with great pride about his children and grandchildren, regarding their accomplishments and their care and concern for each other.

Throughout his life Jim's passions were his family, the Red Sox, the Celtics, and every issue of politics or economics that might arise locally, nationally, or internationally. He was an avid reader and cribbage player, an ardent Democrat, a devout Catholic and former parishioner at St. Mary's in Jefferson. He was a dedicated friend and servant of the Catholic university system. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends, and by the many colleagues and students he advised and influenced in his many years of college teaching.

Visitation will be held at the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street in Holden on Tuesday, July 7th, from 5 to 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8th, in the chapel at Notre Dame du Lac, 555 Plantation Street, Worcester. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Professor James McCarthy Scholarship Fund, Development Office, Assumption College, 500 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609, or to his favorite charity, Friends of the Holden Council on Aging, 1130 Main Street, Holden, MA 01520.

www.milesfuneralhome.com