Ann Brown McCarthy, wife of the late Edward J. McCarthy of Locust Grove, passed away peacefully in her sleep after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease on Monday afternoon, Oct. 19, 2009, while in hospice care at Wilburn Gardens, Fredericksburg.
Ann was born at West Point, N.Y., on May 19, 1922, and grew up in the Philippines in a military family. She served as a code breaker at Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes, England, during World War II, a service for which she was later recognized by the U.S. Army. Ann served for five years in this capacity as a WAC during the war, having re-enlisted once.
After the war, Ann worked for the U.S. Department of State in the Foreign Service and immensely enjoyed her assignments in Bangkok, Thailand, and Paris, France. Ann met her future husband, Ed McCarthy, while serving in Rome, Italy.
Ann and Ed shared their early life together on Foreign Service assignments in Rome, as well as in Budapest, Hungary, Bucharest, Romania, and Beirut, Lebanon.
Upon their return to the United States, Ann worked as an office manager for the NASA office in Arlington, Mass., while Ed completed his education at Boston and Harvard universities. Ann and Ed then moved to Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., and soon after bought their first home together in Montrose, N.Y.
While living in New York, Ann acquired her real estate license and developed and maintained her own career, both in New York and Virginia. Ann and Ed later moved to Virginia, living first in Vienna, then Falls Church, and finally Lake of the Woods in Locust Grove, where they retired.
Ann leaves one sister, Patricia H. Brown, of Upland, Calif.; one brother-in-law, John H. Donahue Jr. of Tewksbury, Mass.; many nieces and nephews, including Patricia Ferrari of Medway, Mass., Gayle Plouffe of Pelham, N.H., and Nancy Lucas and John H. Donahue III, both of Tewksbury, Mass.
A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday Oct. 26, at The Lake of the Woods Church, with the Rev. Tom Schafer officiating. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Alzheimer's Association, Piedmont Valley Chapter, 1807 Seminole Trail, Suite 204, Charlottesville, Va. 22901, or LOW Fire and Rescue, 104 Lakeview Parkway, Locust Grove, Va. 22508.
Online guest book is available at johnsoncares.com.