Obituary

Florence McCarthy
(May 25, 1922 - September 7, 2018)

Florence Smith McCarthy passed away September 7, 2018, at Woodlands Retirement Community in Huntington WV. She was born May 25, 1922, in Alderson WV, the daughter of Harry Lee and Cornelia Alderson Smith. She attended Alderson schools and graduated from West Virginia University with a BS in Business Administration, serving also as president of her sorority, Alpha Xi Delta. On November 6, 1943, she married Thomas Joseph McCarthy Jr. of Hinton WV, also a WVU grad. After his military discharge from World War II, having served in Europe, they made Huntington their home with their two young boys. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Huntington, a Golden Life member of the Woman’s Club, a charter member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter M, a member of Sugarwood Ladies Golf Association, Cotillion Club, American Contract Bridge League, Huntington Duplicate Bridge, as well as other bridge clubs. She taught school in Greenbrier and Cabell Counties and was a tax accountant for three Huntington firms. She served as a member of the Cabell Huntington Hospital Board of Trustees from 1975-1995.  Florence is survived by her two sons and daughters-in-law, Thomas Joseph McCarthy III and Sherry of Lakeland FL, and Harry Smith McCarthy and Laurie of Yorktown VA; by four grandchildren, Anne Megan McCarthy (Jeff Dewey) of San Francisco CA, Mary Rachel McCarthy (James Rudd) of Richmond VA, Thomas Patrick McCarthy (Emily) of Fairfax VA, and Jay Philip McCarthy (Kristin) of Marina del Rey CA; by four great-grandchildren, Flora Alderson Dewey of San Francisco, Iris and Oscar Rudd of Richmond, and Dean Thomas McCarthy of Fairfax. She is survived too by her very dear friend, Jan McCarthy of Washington DC, the mother of her grandchildren Megan and Rachel. Her nieces Martha Krepps, Julia Musto and Anne Powell, the children of her deceased sister Harriet Smith Powell (2011), and their families survive her too, as does Harriet’s husband Doug Powell of Newport News, VA. A graveside service will be conducted at The Old Greenbrier Baptist Church in Alderson WV at a later date.  The family also wishes to express its considerable gratitude to the management and staff of the Woodlands Retirement Community, especially those in Healthcare who cared for Florence. Thank you so much for your many kindnesses to “Flo.”