Theresa McCarthy

South Kingstown, R.I. — Theresa C. (Ferrante) McCarthy, 93, wife of the late Joseph J. McCarthy, died in South Kingstown, R.I., March 18, 2021. Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late Michele and Maria Ferrante.

Theresa leaves her daughter Kathleen McCarthy of North Kingstown, R.I.; daughter Carol McCarthy and her husband Harold Hanka of Pawcatuck; and granddaughter Kara Coraccio of Franklin, Mass. She also was Alana Hanka’s special Grammy. She was the sister of the late Peter, Maria, Biasina, Harry and Anna Ferrante; Cecilia Trahan, Dorothy Florio and Barbara Rotella. She leaves several loving nieces, nephews and friends.

Theresa was a first generation Italian-American whose family had lived on Luke

Street in Providence for 125 years. Deeply committed to family, friends and community, she helped found the Providence North End Girls Club and the DaVinci Center; led the PTA at Windmill Street Elementary School and Esek Hopkins Middle School; was a member of the Charles Street Revitalization Committee; and served on the parish council of St. Agnes Church and as an adhoc member of the Providence School committee.

She worked at the Wanskuck textile mills in Providence from the early years of World War II until 1957. In the 1970s, she joined the Providence School Department’s Child Find program, retiring as head screener in 1998. She was a proud member of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union and remained a member of the Laborers International Union, Local 1033, until her death.

Her family is grateful for the kind and loving care she received at Elderwood of Scallop Shell at Wakefield.

As per Theresa’s wishes, there are no calling hours. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 23, at A.A. Mariani and Sons Funeral Home, 200 Hawkins St., Providence, R.I. Burial will follow at St. Francis Cemetery, 163 Smithfield Ave., Pawtucket, R.I. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in her memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105.