Obituary of Mary Ann McCarthy

Our loving mother Mary Ann McCarthy, 88, passed peacefully at home in Westvale, surrounded by her family on August 6, 2023. She was born in Syracuse on December 10, 1934, to the late Theodore “Frank” and Mary (Sturick) Semak, the youngest of three children. She is predeceased by her husband of 61 years, Robert McCarthy, son, Robert Jr., brother, John Semak and sister, Anne Dobs.

Her four other children survive her: Kevin (Nancy) of Baldwinsville, Deborah Moran (William) of Elbridge, John of Syracuse, and Kathleen (Manuel) of California along with six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; several cousins, nieces, and nephews. 

She graduated from Central Vocational High School then married the love of her life, our dad. For more than 30 years she worked for the Syracuse School District as a teacher’s aide; first at Porter School then rounding out her career at Grant Junior High. Through the years she did volunteer work for the neighborhood polling places for elections, at the Everson Museum’s annual Christmas Tree fundraiser, with a group that knitted items for newborn babies at St. Joseph’s Hospital and always advocated for persons with head injuries. For many years she took pleasure in golfing in a league, going to Skaneateles Lake for lunch, and getting together with the “Geddes Seniors” for their friendship, food, fun and bus trips. 
She treasured the outdoors – flowers, plants, trees, driftwood, rocks, seeds. We could always find her in her garden tending to her tulips, crocus, lilacs, pansies, chrysanthemums, petunias - first on Avery Ave. then on Parsons Drive. And she loved having family gather at her home.

We’d like to thank Dr. David Page and his staff for their attentive care and never-ending concern. Dr. Page takes care of four generations of our family. We also appreciate the team of Hospice of CNY; without them we wouldn’t have known how to care for our mom at home.

A calling hour will be at 9 to 10am on Thursday, August 10, at St. Charles - St. Ann’s Church, 501 S. Orchard Rd, Syracuse, NY 13219. Mass will follow at 10am with burial at Woodlawn Cemetery, 800 Grant Blvd, Syracuse 13203.