Susan "Sue" Joyce Mccarthy

Susan (“Sue”) Joyce McKercher McCarthy passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home on March 2, 2019 in Poway, California, following a brave battle with brainstem cancer. Sue was born on November 1, 1938, in Stoughton, Wisconsin to John and Lavina McKercher and was the third of five children. Sue grew up on the East Side of Stoughton where she made life-long friends. She graduated from Stoughton High School in 1956 and moved to Chicago to work for Eastern Airlines. As a flight attendant on international routes Sue traveled the world, enjoying adventures in Spain, Germany, France, and Switzerland among other places. Sue returned to Stoughton in 1961 to marry the love of her life, Jeremiah (Jerry) McCarthy, also a Stoughton native. Jerry and Sue made their home in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin where they raised their three children, Callie, Kevin and Brendon, and where they lived for over 44 years. Sue worked as a bank teller and as a teller supervisor for Marine Bank, later Bank One (now Chase Bank) in Oconomowoc until her retirement in 1995. Sue was a loving and devoted wife to Jerry until his death in April 2010. Sue was a strong, independent, fun-loving woman, with a compassionate heart and a bright smile that would light up a room. She is survived by her three children who adored her, Callie (Jeff) Bjurstrom, Kevin (Chellie) McCarthy, and Brendon (Shelly) McCarthy, and by her seven grandchildren, Brian (Ashley) Bjurstrom, Nick Bjurstrom, Adam McCarthy, Jake McCarthy, Ashley McCarthy, Erin McCarthy and Megan McCarthy, all of whom were the greatest joys of her life. She is preceded in death by her husband, Jerry, her parents and her brother, David McKercher. She is also survived by her loving sister Doreen (Ray) Behnke, brothers Robin (Kathy) McKercher and Peter (Sue) McKercher, sisters-in-law Clara Vogel and Shirley McKercher, as well as nieces, nephews, neighbors and friends, all of whom she loved dearly. A celebration of the life of Susan McCarthy will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at St. Bruno’s Catholic Church in Dousman, Wisconsin. A visitation with the family will begin at 10:00 am, followed by a mass at 11:00 am and a luncheon at the church. A graveside service will be held on Friday, May 17, 2019 at 10:00 a.m., at Saint Ann’s Catholic Cemetery in Stoughton, Wisconsin. The family would like to extend their appreciation to the compassionate healthcare providers at the University of California San Diego, and especially to Dr. David Piccioni for embracing their mother and her care, and for giving her the hope, strength and encouragement to fight this disease when others did not. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Susan McCarthy be made to The University of California San Diego dedicated to the research and treatment of brain cancers. Contributions can be made payable to UC San Diego Foundation. Note that the gift is in memory of Susan McCarthy: Fund F-3974. This fund directly supports the research of Dr. David Piccioni. Donations in memory of Susan McCarthy can also be made to St. Bruno’s Catholic Church.