Eleanor "Ellie" McCarthy

Eleanor was born in Newton, Massachusetts on October 14, 1926.  She passed away peacefully on December 11, 2021, at the age of 95, in San Francisco, California.  She was the daughter of the late A. Ward and Alice M. (Griffin) McCarthy.  She was preceded in death by her sister, Elizabeth Gonnella (Edward), and twin brother, Richard W. McCarthy (Eunice).  She is survived by her niece, Taryn McCarthy, and numerous cousins.  She is also survived by the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of Edward Gonnella.

Ellie had a full and busy life.  Except for one year at Vermont Junior College in Montpelier, Ellie lived the first 19 years of her life in Newton.  In 1955, she and a friend drove west, arriving in California in 1958 after three-year stay in Colorado.  She lived in Corte Madera and Burlingame before settling in San Francisco.  Her final residence, where she had lived for the past 22 years, was The Heritage on the Marina (The Heritage).

From 1958 until she retired in 1986, Ellie worked as a dental assistant at Letterman Army Medical Center in the Presidio of San Francisco.  While living in Colorado, she worked as a dental hygienist/assistant for Public Health.

Ellie was an active member of the Episcopal Church (St. Aidan and St. James) for many years, serving at different times as an Acolyte, a Lay Eucharist Minister, and on the Healing Ministry Team.

A skilled amateur photographer, several of her photographs were on display in the DeBatz Gallery at The Heritage.  Family and friends enjoyed receiving her Christmas cards that depicted one of her very scenic photographs.

Ellie was generous in volunteering her time, which included Huckleberry House, a home for runaway teens, and Pleasant Care in Novato, where she served on the Family Council.  She was also very active in the Center for Learning in Retirement (CLIR) and served on different committees at The Heritage.

Services were private.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Grace & Favor Fund of The Heritage on the Marina, 3400 Laguna Street, San Francisco, CA, 94123-2271.