Edward W. McCarthy

Edward William McCarthy, a resident of the Town of Poughkeepsie, entered into rest Monday, June 6, 2005 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in Manhattan, after complications from cancer surgery.

Son of the late Leopold and Emma Becht McCarthy, he was born June 7, 1920 in Brooklyn.

Mr. McCarthy grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School. He married the former Eleanor Sandstrom in 1941. He attended Cooper Union College in Brooklyn for two years and then enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Shortly after enlisting, the Army Air Corps transferred enlistees to the infantry. Mr. McCarthy was in combat during World War II with the 75th Infantry Division in the Ardennes during the height of the Battle of the Buldge supervising the mortar division. He was awarded two purple hearts, two bronze stars, the New York State Governor's citation for conspicuous service and the Silver Star. Upon return, he completed a bachelors of science in chemical engineering at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and began his career at Vulcan Company in Brooklyn. In 1954, Mr. McCarthy moved his wife and two daughters to Poughkeepsie and was employed at Chemical Rubber Products in Beacon. During his employment as a specialist in rubber technology, he developed the rubber coated fabric used in the first NASA Mercury Flight Recovery Raft. Mr. McCarthy is listed in the Who's Who in America for his expertise in rubber coated fabrics. He retired in 1983 as Vice President of Technical Services at Richardson/Chemprene in Beacon. Personally, Mr. McCarthy is known for his love of flying private aircraft and pistol and rifle sharp shooting. Most significantly, he will be remembered for his devoted care to his wife, Eleanor.

He is survived by his wife, Eleanor Florence McCarthy; his daughters, Eleanor Vora and her husband, Madhu, of Los Gatos, California and Elaine McCarthy of Boston, Massachusetts; his granddaughter, Erin Alley and her husband, Colin, of San Francisco, California; his brother, Conrad McCarthy and his wife, Florence, of Massapequa, New York and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be from 4-7 pm on Friday, June 24, 2005 Straub Funeral Home, 55 E. Main Street, Wappingers Falls,

A funeral service will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, June 25 at the funeral home.

Entombment will follow in Poughkeepsie Rural Community Mausoleum, South Avenue, Poughkeepsie.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations on Mr. McCarthy's behalf may be made to the Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, PO Box 9618, Washington, D.C. 20077.

For directions or to send a personal condolence, please visit our website,

www.straubfuneralhome.com.