William Earl McCarthy

April 2, 1926 – April 2, 2021

Bill McCarthy died peacefully at home on his 95th birthday, in the company of his family. Born in Sparks, Nevada, to Alice and Earl McCarthy, the family later moved to Roseville, California, when Bill was very young. He attended Roseville schools, graduating from Roseville Joint Union High School in 1944. Bill enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943 while a still a junior in high school and attended basic training in the summer between his junior and senior years, but by the time he had graduated and completed training as a radio operator, the war had ended. He completed his military service as an MP in occupied Kitzingen, Germany.

Bill married Ruth Martha Fisher, his high school sweetheart, in 1947. Together, Bill and Ruth enjoyed 74 years of marriage and raised five children. After graduating from San Jose State College, Bill became a teacher, spending most of his 35-year teaching career in the San Francisco Unified School District.

Bill had a system for just about everything and liked things done his way. He felt at ease on the water as a sailor and fisherman and loved to go camping with his family and friends. For more than 30 years Bill and Ruth spent a month each summer at Blue Lake in Lassen County. He eventually became the old man on the lake, perfecting the art of catching trout. If you were fortunate enough to be invited along and did (exactly) what Bill said, you would always catch fish.

Bill found Alcoholics Anonymous in 1976 and never looked back. He made many friends, worked the program, and kept coming back, celebrating 44 years of sobriety in September 2020.

Bill is survived by Ruth, their children: Michael (Yukari), Patrick (Vivian Warkentin), Celia (Ron Vincent), Timothy (Paula Froke), and Ann Gaebler (George); nine grandchildren: Hikaru and Taro McCarthy, Eva and Owen (Mariola) Vincent; Molly, Megan, William, Jack, and Quinn Gaebler; and his brother Bob (Diane). He was preceded in death by daughter-in-law and grandson Akiko and Taiyo McCarthy.

The family thanks Bill’s dedicated caregivers (Joe, Romeo, Herly, Gina, May, Fe, Kate, Sharon, Rhoda, and Jon) for their support and Vitas Hospice for making Bill’s final months as comfortable as possible. A viewed cremation was held at the Nautilus Society in Oakland on Friday, April 9, 2021, for immediate family. Internment and a celebration of life will be held at a later date.