Joan Ann McCarthy

Resident of San Francisco, Age 83.

Joan was born in San Francisco to Thomas and Catherine McCarthy. She was raised in Oakland, and attended Bishop O’Dowd High School, Holy Names University, and San Francisco State University.

Joan started her teaching career in San Lorenzo, followed by four years in Rome at the Notre Dame International School, and then the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Joan taught language arts, ESL, and Reading Recovery. She adored her students and used her unique style of adornment as a way to connect with them and inform them about the world. She was a teacher for the SFUSD for 35+ years; however, Italy was her cherished place to teach, eat, and fall in love.

Joan, affectionately known as Juana in many parts of the world, traveled and shopped LARGE. She even wore extremely large glasses so she wouldn’t miss a thing! She also worked as a travel agent, and never tired of giving her clients unusual places to explore, dine, drink, and find hideaways to hear wonderful music. Juana was an extreme explorer, always seeking out indigenous tribes with outrageous jewelry. From Papua New Guinea to the San Blas Islands, it was quite a site to see the tribes and Juana appreciating each others jewelry in the early days before tourists had arrived. Juana mega shopped, and when traveling, always took a pillowcase filled with jewelry. She would hire a man to carry the pillowcase on top of his head while trekking through mud and water on her adventures. She was game for any shop, medina and market any time of the day or night. Often Juana would leave her cane wherever, telling her pals to find it.

Later she successfully ran two new businesses: Mola Madness and Sterling Silver Reproductions from Taxco, Mexico. To get the molas, she had to take two jet planes, one small prop plane, and then a canoe to get to the San Blas Islands of Panama. Since there weren’t any banks on the islands, Juana just put $1 bills into a large plastic green garbage sack and shopped until the bag was empty. She would show the Kuna Indians the empty bag which meant shopping was over. Everyone, even Juana, would go back to their huts and take a nap in their hammocks. Back in the U.S.A. Joan worked shows in Northern and Southern California. Never tired of the best quality, Joan’s collections grew and grew along with her fame. Joan never met a museum, symphony, dance, concert, or play she didn’t love. She could easily see five films in one day. Joan had a passion for films, and was a decades-long volunteer at local and international film festivals.

Joan always dressed like a Diva, whether in the Darien Jungle or Paris, France. She wore long black skirts, black tops with broaches, huge shawls, gloves, a fan, and layers of jewelry on each arm and ear. The best compliment she loved was “Oh my, are you a movie star?” Joan will always be a star shining for all who knew and loved her. But best of all for Juana, all the shops, medinas and markets in heaven await her. They will always be open, the price will be right, nothing to carry, and no more lost canes!

Joan is survived by her brother Tom McCarthy (Barbara), of Los Altos, and cousin Tom McCarthy (Margaret), and family of San Francisco.

A private interment was held at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, and a celebration of her life will be held in the new year. Contact: pastel@pacbell.net

On-line condolences: http s://www.duggans-serra.com /obituaries/Joan-Ann-McCa rthy?obId=23124348#/obit uaryInfo

Joan was a member of the Alpha Psi Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international sorority of women educators that donates to provide scholarships to future teachers at San Francisco State University. Donations can be sent to: Alpha Psi, c/o Betty Murrary, 340 Green Hills Dr., Millbrae, CA 94030, or to a charity of your choice.