Kay was born on March 3, 1924 in New York City to Daniel & Sarah McNamara McCarthy, recent immigrants to the United States from Ireland.
Kay was the second born of 5 children, raised in Harlem NY during the great depression, in a close knit Irish Catholic family. She was known for her compassion, caring and friendly personality and had a laugh that was contagious. Kay was a woman full of life and never met a person that she did not consider a friend. She is best remembered by her family when she was reminiscing with her sisters about their childhood escapades and would often slip into an Irish brogue punctuated with uncontrollable laughter. Kay’s passion was painting on canvas. She never stopped learning new ways to paint using different medians and techniques to create portraits, landscapes, animals and still life. In 1943 at the young age of 19 after taking a position as an overseas operator for AT&T in Seattle, Kay left Seattle with a girlfriend on a trip around the US and into Mexico via rail and bus. When her friend returned home after reaching San Francisco Kay continued her trip solo down through the southern US and into Mexico finishing her trip in New York City. She never stopped living life to the fullest.
Kay is survived by her 4 children and their spouses, Mark & Patricia Castilla, Toni & Randy Lotz, Kim Starbuck, and John & Gena Castilla; along with 7 grandchildren & 8 great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her two parents, Daniel & Sarah McNamara McCarthy; her 4 siblings and their spouses, Josephine & George McKay, Mary & Ralph Lugo, Daniel & Marie Fox McCarthy and Theresa & Robert Thomalen.
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