Joseph Patrick "Kelly" McCarthy

A Funeral Mass for Joseph Patrick “Kelly” McCarthy, age of 68, devoted husband, father of four, grandfather of five, and small business owner, will be held on Friday March 6, 2020 at 2:00pm at St. Mary’s Cathedral.

Calling hours will be held also on Friday from 11:00am to 1:30 pm at the Fox & Murray Funeral Home prior to the funeral mass. Kelly passed away at his home on February 28, 2020 surrounded by his loving family.

The cause of death was complications due to glioblastoma, an incurable form of brain cancer that affects about 10,000 Americans each year and took the life of Senator John McCain, a hero to Kelly. He fought the illness relentlessly since being diagnosed in September 2018, enduring multiple clinical trials at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He took comfort that his participation in these trials might bring greater understanding to the causes of and potential cures for glioblastoma.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 35 years, Christine, and four children, Trisha (Mark) Lalonde, Tanya (Marc) LaRocque, Brayden (Joshua) McCarthy and Stacia (Anthony) Martino. He is survived by five grandchildren: Jacob LaRocque, Liz Ann Lalonde,

Madilyn LaRocque, Gracie Lalonde and Arabella Martino, and three siblings, William McCarthy, Blaine (Lynn) McCarthy, and Tammy McCarthy. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister Marjorie and a brother-in-law Fran Nugent.

Kelly was born on November 10, 1951 in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada to Harry and Annette McCarthy. He graduated from Holy Family High School in Massena, NY. On December 15, 1984 he married Mary Christine Nugent.

He was proudly self-made, starting River View Homes of Ogdensburg, Inc. in 1988, and building it into a nationally-recognized manufactured housing business that’s helped thousands of families gain access to affordable housing in the North Country. In 2019, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Buyers Group, a national consortium of manufactured housing businesses. His driving motivation was to give his children and grandchildren every opportunity they wanted to succeed.

He was the third generation of his family to start and run a small business. He grew up working at McCarthy’s Bar & Grill, which his family owned and operated in Massena, NY.

Prior to starting his own business, he worked as a salesman at Quality Homes of Massena and Morningstar Homes of Ogdensburg, and spent several years in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

His passions were his business and his family. His work ethic was legendary; he frequently worked 100-hours weekly until he was incapacitated by his illness. He had a deep affection for the culture and food of Italy, which was owed in part to formative years spent stationed in Naples, Italy as an Army infantryman. His fondest memories were spent at his home on the St Lawrence River jet skiing, fishing and boating with his children and grandchildren. He was an avid fan of the Yankees and Dallas Cowboys.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Adilia Hormigo, Kelly’s neuro-oncologist at Mount Sinai and her team which provided expert care to Kelly since his diagnosis; the Hospice nurses (Karen and Leslie) who helped the family take loving care of Kelly in his final days; and the family and friends who have helped the family cope over the last 18 months.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations be made to the Defeat GBM Research Collaborative, a subsidiary of the National Brain Tumor Society, the largest nonprofit dedicated to the brain tumor community in the United States, at https://secure2.convio.net/bts/site/Donation2?df_id=4401&4401.donation=form1.

Condolences and fond memories can also be shared online at www.foxandmurrayfuneralhome.com.