Marilyn McCarthy

10/28/1926 - 02/20/2024

Marilyn Angela McCarthy (née Luchetti) died on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, with her daughters by her side. She was a proud Italian American, born in San Francisco to Reno Luchetti and Sue Bocci on October 28, 1926, Marilyn is survived by her daughters Angela Brassinga (Fred Sandsmark), Carolyn McCarthy (Tim Tobias), Liz McCarthy, and Barbara Dickason (Brad) and grandchildren Andrew (Evy), Colin, Ren, Finn, Carly, Evan, and Celeste and cousin Barbara Bosque. Preceded in death by her brother Lawerence Luchetti and cousin Beverly Desmond.

Marilyn attended Commodore Sloat Elementary School, Aptos Junior High, and St. Rose Academy for Girls. She graduated from Dominican College in chemistry and English literature where she made lifelong friends. During summers while at Dominican Marilyn studied at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara. After graduating in 1949 her laboratory career began at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco. She spent the bulk of her career at Novato Community Hospital and Kaiser Terra Linda from which she retired at age 72. She made great friends while working in the lab and enjoyed many outings and reunions with them until quite recently.

Family and her Italian heritage were very important to Marilyn. She shared many stories of childhood gatherings with her Bocci and Luchetti cousins. She first visited Italy and her Italian relatives in 1952 and returned in 2005 with her cousins, a daughter, and grandson. She encouraged her daughters and grandchildren to visit family when in Italy. As an adult she often turned to her late beloved brother Larry Luchetti for advice but also to reminisce about their younger days. She loved attending birthdays, baptisms, bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings, showers, and graduations for daughters and grandchildren as well as her Luchetti, Bosque, and Desmond nieces and nephews. Many were fortunate to receive one of her handcrafted cards. For years she hosted Easter at her Lucas Valley Eichler with plenty of food and a rambunctious egg hunt.

Marilyn’s love of learning and family lives on in her daughters and grandchildren. Her daughters often say the greatest gift their mother gave them was each other.

Marilyn will be honored at a Memorial Mass on Saturday, April 20, 2024, 11 a.m., St. Isabella’s Church, 1 Trinity Way, San Rafael. All are welcome. For full tribute and photos please visit: https:// www.dignitymemorial.com/ obituaries/novato-ca/marilynmccarthy-11681413