E. Walter McCarthy
January 19, 1916 - August 15, 2018
E. Walter McCarthy, a fourth generation San Franciscan descended from Gold Rush Irish immigrants, died August 15, 2018, in Greenbrae, CA at the age of 102 years.
Walter was born to Frank A. and Johanna E. McCarthy at home in the 1300 block of 10th Avenue in San Francisco on January 19, 1916. He graduated from Sacred Heart grammar school, St. Ignatius High School and, after four years on a basketball scholarship, the University of San Francisco in 1937.
Immediately upon graduation from USF, he was hired as the fourth employee of a small company, Watson & Meehan, which was the world’s first Cummins Diesel Engine distributorship. Walter served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946, primarily at Pearl Harbor, before returning to Watson & Meehan in San Francisco. The company grew with the success of the Cummins Diesel engine and was the Cummins distributor for all of Northern California and Western Nevada, eventually having branches in Sacramento, Redding, Fresno, Eureka and Sparks NV. In 1966, Walter was elected president of Watson & Meehan and served in that position until his retirement in 1981.
In 1941, Walter married Margaret “Peggy” Mahoney at St. Peter’s Church in San Francisco’s Mission District where she grew up. Peggy, whom Walter described as his “beloved and adored wife of 50 years,” died in 1991. Walter was also predeceased by his brothers, Alex F., Robert T., and the Rev. Charles J. McCarthy, S.J. He is survived by his five children, Charles P. McCarthy (Nancy) of Novato, CA; Mary Jo Reynolds (Thomas) of Spokane, WA; Clare A. Coffey (Mark) of Orinda, CA, Daniel R. McCarthy (Maureen) of Burlingame, CA, and Paul M. McCarthy (Betsy) of Palo Alto, CA. He is also survived by thirteen grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was a member of the Olympic Club for more than 60 years, serving as its president in 1970. He was a member of the California Trucking Association, Western Highway Institute and Silverado Country Club. He served on the San Francisco Grand Jury in 1957. He maintained his home in San Francisco until his death, but in later years also lived at the Tamalpais Retirement Community in Marin County.
Friends may call Sunday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at DUGGAN WELCH FAMILY – DUGGANS FUNERAL SERVICE, 3434 – 17th Street in San Francisco and are invited to attend services Tuesday, 10:00am at Saint Ignatius Catholic Church, 2150 Fulton Street in San Francisco for a Mass of Christian Burial. Committal to take place on Wednesday, 11:00 am at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to St. Peter’s School for the Peggy McCarthy Scholarship Fund, c/o St. Peter’s School, 1266 Florida Street, San Francisco CA 94110, or to the USF McCarthy-Martin Athletic Scholarship c/o University of San Francisco, P.O. Box 45363, San Francisco, CA, 94145-0363.