Robert “Bob” McCarthy, businessman and former Sidney Town Supervisor, passed away at his home following a long battle with cancer.
After attending Fallsburg High School and Penn State University, he went to work at the family business, Catskill and Binghamton Amusement, for the first part of his life.
In the second half of his life, he and his lifelong partner of 44 years, Beverly, went on to establish McCarthy Enterprises and McCarthy Services. They established their business in Unadilla, and as a team, traveled in their office RV through their territory of the United States conducting meetings with numerous customers such as Coach on the East Coast and Louis Vuitton on the West Coast. Their offering of agendas, journals and address refills were manufactured by Sun Graphix in Maine and were distributed throughout markets nationally.
Bob recognized there was a need for a better option of address book refills and quickly used his entrepreneur skills to design and build a machine to automatically apply the A-Z tabs on the address pages of their Preference Collection Refills.
Traveling together was a perfect way for Bob to share his ability to establish lasting relationships as well as entertain their customers.
Being an avid golfer, it was evident he would pursue a way to improve his golf game by inventing a better putter. He wrote a book “The Physics of Putting” which utilized his engineering ability. Since golf was his hobby, it was logical to design and build a totally new concept of a putter. He started with a block of aluminum and a putter evolved which was successfully introduced at the national PGA show in Orlando.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Beverly McCarthy; his son, Michael (Sue) Mccarthy; his siblings Vic (Ginger) McCarthy, Kathleen (Gordon) Markham and Nancy McCarthy (Lawson); Beverly’s children Eric (Marcia) Wilson, Craig (Brenda) Wilson, Amy (Dr. Mike) Farrell, and Heather (Dan) Coleman; as well as 12 cousins, several nieces and nephews, and Beverly’s 31 grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his parents, Mac and Millie McCarthy; former wife Mary Ellen Tallet; brother-in-law Michael Lawson, and his beloved Chesapeake Bay retriever of 17 years, Kelly.
Honest, forthright and aggressive in his pursuit of ideals, he was a supervisor for the town of Sidney. Among his accomplishments as supervisor was his assistance in forming the Sidney EMS ambulance, his proudest achievement as a civil servant. At county and town meetings, he added his quick wit to lighten up the atmosphere.
On March 5, family and friends are invited to calling hours at the First Baptist Church, River Street, Sidney, between 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The memorial service at 1 will be followed by a luncheon to which all are invited.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name may be sent to the Sidney EMS which was of great importance to him, or First Baptist Church, River Street, Sidney, NY 13838.
Condolences may be shared with family at bev@beverlymccarthy.com
Arrangements are under the direction of CH Landers Funeral Chapel Sidney, www.landersfh.com
