Lucy Florence Church McCarthy

Born in Iredell County on December 14, 1931, she was the daughter of the late William Coite Church and Vagie Martin Church.

Lucy graduated from Harmony High School in 1950. After graduating she moved to Washington, D.C. and lived with her brother, David and Laura Church and worked as a secretary with the FBI. She was promoted as Secretary to J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI. While there, she met and married John R. McCarthy, an FBI agent. They later moved to Chicago, Illinois and she continued working with the FBI while Jack completed his ministry degree. There were assigned churches throughout the state of Illinois and served for over 30 years.

Lucy was a survivor of breast cancer and became an Ambassador for American Cancer Society and traveled throughout the United States as a representative for them. She was awarded the Ambassador of the Year Award. She continued this leadership until moving back to Harmony, NC. She was the owner of The Natural Woman, a specialty shop designed for persons who were cancer survivors. She worked in the office of M & M Builders in Geneva, Illinois and worked closely with the owner and CEO, Mr. Mario Savino.

She returned to Harmony, NC, and was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. Her life was dedicated to serving others. After she moved to The Gardens of Statesville, NC, she still found ways to help others. She was especially attentive to her roommate, Mrs. Opal Green. Mrs. Opal’s daughter, Mrs. Wilma Harmon, adopted Lucy as a Special Aunt, and continued to be by her bedside throughout Lucy’s extended time with another battle with cancer. Even though her own mother is now deceased, Wilma was there as Lucy passed away.

Lucy and Jack had no children of their own but was Foster Parents to 54 boys and girls, ages 12-16, which became Wards of the State of Illinois and would have been incarcerated if they had not taken them into their home.

Lucy loved sports and was an outstanding basketball player for the Harmony Owls in high school. She was an avid tennis player and also bowler while living in Illinois. You could still see her swinging her tennis racket and walking her treadmill while living in Harmony, just to keep in shape.

She was very active with the Lutheran Church but when she returned to NC, she returned to her home church where she attended as a child, Fairmount united Methodist Church.

In addition to her parents and husband, Lucy was also preceded in death by her brothers, Robert, Paul David, William and Grady Church.

Those left to cherish her memory are two brothers, Frank Church and Roy Church; three sisters, Lou Ann Jones, Alice Absher and Antha Reid.

She is also survived by a very special “Son from the Philippines”, Father Prefecto Vasquez. They were his Collage Parents when he came to American to study in Chicago, Illinois,

A memorial service will be held Friday, June 24, 2016 at 11:00 AM in the Westmoreland Chapel of Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home with Rev. Lynn Lepley officiating. The family will speak to friends following the service.

Memorials may be made to the Fairmount United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund c/o Mrs. Archie Lundy 184 Lundy Road Statesville, NC 28625.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.bunchjohnsonfuneralhome.com.

Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home is honored to be serving the McCarthy family.