Obituary of Frederick McCarthy

SOUTHBURY - Frederick J. McCarthy Jr., 83, passed away peacefully at his home with his loving wife Martha; his children and his beloved Labrador Satin II at his bedside on Monday September 17, 2012. Mr. McCarthy was born May 21, 1929 in Staten Island, NY the son of the late Frederick and Mary (Hickey) McCarthy Sr. He graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel grammar school and St. Peter's High School. Fred attended Manhattan College in New York City and graduated as an Electrical Engineer in May of 1950. While at Manhattan College, he enlisted in the New York National Guard and following the start of the Korean War, transferred to the United States Air Force in 1951. After graduating from USAF Navigation School in 1952, he was assigned to the Strategic Air Force Command (SAC) and served as a combat crew navigator. After being honorably discharged from the Air Force, Fred worked as an electrical engineer with Ford Instrument Company, also known as Sperry Rand, and during this time also attended St. Johns University Law School, graduating in 1959 and passing the New York Bar examination and U.S. Patent Office Admissions test. Fred then began his career in 1959 as a division patent attorney for Union Carbide Corporation, Park Avenue, New York where he worked until his retirement in 1987. He then continued as chief patent counsel of UCAR Carbon Company until 2000. Fred and his wife Martha "Jo" of 57 years raised their five children on Staten Island until 1978 and after retiring, lived happily at their weekend home on Deer Island, CT as well as in Bay Head Shores, NJ enjoying boats, fishing, hunting and cross country skiing. Fred was a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, (Great Grandson of John Connors, 11th Maine Infantry); the Ancient Order of Hibernians; the American Legion and was a communicant of Our Lady of Grace Church in Bantam, CT. Besides his wife of 57 years, Fred is survived by his children Rosemary (Peter Harbeson), Julia Ann, Catherine (Steve Brennan), Marcia, Ted (Wendy McCarthy); his grandchildren Oksana, Amanda, Michael, Ryan, Taylor; his sister Maureen Dugan; and his brothers William and Robert McCarthy. He is predeceased by his brother Donald and his son-in-law M. Scott Brown. Arrangements - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday September 22, 2012 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Church, 715 Bantam Rd., Bantam, CT. Burial will follow in Our Lady of Grace Cemetery. Friends are welcome to pay their respects to the family from 10 to 11 a.m. at the church. The Alderson Funeral Home of Naugatuck 201 Meadow St. is assisting with arrangements.