Concetta McCarthy, 93

LEE, Mass. — Concetta “Connie” McCarthy, 93, of Lee, died Saturday evening, November 26, 2016, at Springside Nursing Home in Pittsfield, attended by her family.

Born in Pittsfield on October 23, 1923, the daughter of Anthony and Mary Marini Scipione, Connie attended local schools and graduated in 1940 from Pittsfield High School. She completed secretarial school at Berkshire Business College, after which she worked at the Pittsfield Agricultural National Bank and the American Red Cross. During this period, Connie was a pitcher in a local all-women softball league. She was later employed as a secretary and bookkeeper at the Central Berkshire District Court Probation office until 1957.

She has made her home in Lee since 1956, where she was a communicant of St. Mary's Church and a member of St. Mary’s St. Martha Sodality. Connie was an active volunteer and contributor in her church and community, serving as a member of the Parish Council’s Religious Education Board, as a Catholic catechism teacher and as a member of Lee’s V.N.A. Board of Directors. She was also an active volunteer for Mount Carmel Church in Pittsfield, and a member of the Prayer Line at St. Mary's Church. Connie never met a stranger. She was always willing to lend a hand to those in need, send a hand-written note and she loved to be surrounded by her friends and family.

She had a lifelong devotion to the Catholic Church and particularly Mother Mary. As a young student, she played the Blessed Mother during a Christmas pageant. Her devotion continued into her adult life. Connie was the divisional leader for Our Lady’s Oratory in St. Mary’s church in Lee, and a frequent volunteer at the Marion Fathers’ annual Divine Mercy Sunday event in Stockbridge. Later in life, she traveled widely to visit locations where Mother Mary appeared, including Knock, Ireland, Garabandal, Spain, and Medjugorje, Bosnia, 

Connie is predeceased by her husband, Frank V. McCarthy, whom she married May 12, 1956. He died on April 29, 2015. 

She is survived by her four children, Mary Anne Cicarelli of Huntington, N.Y., Patrick A. McCarthy of Jericho, Vt., Jean M. Woletz of Seattle and Daniel C. McCarthy of Hatfield, Mass.; her nine grandchildren Jessica, Alan, Frank, Jenna, Ben, Joe, Sam, Zachary and Sebastian; and one sister, Domenica “Skip” Baxley of Redwood City, Calif.

She was predeceased by three brothers, Samuel Scipione, Nicholas Placido and Peter Placido; as well as three sisters, Ann Lombardi, Christine Scipione and Lucy Lee.

Funeral notice: A liturgy of Christian Burial for Concetta McCarthy will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Lee, celebrated by Rev. Brian McGrath, Pastor. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery. 

Visiting hours will be on Friday afternoon, December 2, 2016, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Kelly Funeral Home in Lee. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Concetta’s memory to Either St. Mary’s Church or School or to the Lee Library in c/o the Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main Street, Lee, MA 01238.