Julanne McCarthy, at 76

Julanne (Julie) McCarthy passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at age 76 after a brief respiratory illness. She was born in Boston to Charles and Catherine McCarthy, and spent her formative years on the South Shore in Squantum and Scituate, spending many happy summers at Nantasket Beach in Hull near her maternal grandparents, the Kincaid family.

She completed high school in Madison, N.J., but returned to Boston to graduate from Emmanuel College. She went on to earn additional degrees in nursing and anthropology from Wichita State University, Indiana University, and the University of Illinois.

Ms. McCarthy held supervisory nursing and quality assurance positions and worked in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado, and spent 10 years working for the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital while her husband, Gordon Davis, was supervising the opening of Bahrain’s new national museum.

Ms. McCarthy never hesitated to pass up an opportunity to travel, having visited Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Botswana, India, Australia, Peru, China, and many Middle Eastern and European countries. Years later, she joined her husband in Kurdistan while he was supervising the rebuilding of the Iraqi National Museum. 

Ms. McCarthy received many awards and research grants, and published in the area of nursing, including writing a chapter in the International Encyclopedia of Sexuality. She enjoyed sewing and reading, which were both portable activities between her homes in Massachusetts and Colorado. She was always drawn back to the Boston area in spring and fall while enjoying the Colorado mountain air in summer.

She had many nieces and nephews, including grandnieces and nephews and had recently discovered relatives nearby in the Boston area as she actively pursued family genealogical research. 

Ms. McCarthy will be missed and lovingly remembered by family and friends. She is survived by her husband, Gordon, of Colorado and Massachusetts, sisters Sarah (Tommy) and Carol Lou (Peter) of New Jersey, Mary Beth (Bobby) of New York, Sue Ellen of Arkansas; brothers James of New Jersey and Colorado, Brian of New Jersey and Tennessee, and Robert (Carol) of Pennsylvania. Two brothers, Richard and Shawn of New Jersey, preceded her in death.

A memorial is being planned for a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Julanne McCarthy may be made to Wellspring Multi-Service Center, wellspringmultiservice.org/donate and Denver Rescue Mission, denverrescuemission.org/give.