WATERTOWN, NY —Â Frederick J. McCarthy, 86, Venice, FL, and formerly of Watertown and Alexandria Bay, NY, died Wednesday at Sarasota Memorial Hospital from COVID-19 complications.
Fred was born Sept. 29, 1934, in NYC. He grew up in Plattsburgh, NY, with parents Katherine and Francis McCarthy.
Fred met his life-time love Diane J. (Lifieri) Corp during their senior year at SUNY Plattsburgh. Fred and Diane were married on Nov. 24, 1955, at Holy Family Church in Watertown, N.Y. Fred earned his PhD in Education at Indiana University before returning to SUNY Plattsburgh as the director of Admissions.
A 40 -year career educator and college administrator, Fred worked at SUNY Oneonta, was Dean of Students at Jefferson Community College, and retired from SUNY Potsdam as an Adjunct Professor in 1995.
Shortly thereafter, Fred and Diane moved to Florida and together enjoyed 11 years of hobbies, travel, and volunteer work at the Italian-American Club of Venice before Fred lost Diane to Alzheimer’s.
Fred was an avid photographer, collector, and computer aficionado; he loved nothing more than traveling and photographing the globe with family and friends. We cannot forget the daily 5-mile bike rides that kept Fred active and young at heart.
In 2015, Fred was blessed to meet and marry Cornelia (Neale) Jordan. They have enjoyed cruising, dining out, singing karaoke, and spending time with their many friends. It is not often one gets a second chance at love, but Fred was thrilled to find Neale.
Fred is survived by his wife Neale, a daughter Patti Winniczuk, a son-in-law Paul (Auburndale, FL); two sons, Michael (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Scott (Watertown, N.Y.) granddaughters Katherine and Nastasha Winniczuk, grandsons Shea and Sean McCarthy, and a great-grandson Lakoda McCarthy.