Madeline Denise (McCarthy) Lynch was born to Florence Joseph and Mary Agnes (Driscoll) McCarthy of Whitman, Massachusetts on April 6, 1934. After enduring Alzheimer’s Disease for fourteen years, Madeline left this life for another on January 20, 2023. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Hugh F. Lynch of Newport, Rhode Island.
Madeline was a graduate of Whitman High School in 1951 and of Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts in 1955 with a B.S. degree in Mathematics. She then taught math at Randolph High School in Randolph, Massachusetts. On June 13, 1959, Madeline and Hugh were married at Holy Ghost Church in Whitman. They had three children: Mary (Bill Supple), Paul (Marina Lansdown) and Coleen. Madeline was beloved grandmother to Ned, Jack, Madeline and Will Supple who grew up in Needham, Massachusetts; Dylan, Reilly and James Lynch of New York City; and Charlie Lynch of Charlestown, Massachusetts. She was the loving sister of Betty (McCarthy) O’Conor of Arlington Heights, Illinois, and is also survived by her sister-in-law, Louise (Shea) McCarthy of Falmouth, Massachusetts, and two brothers-in-law, Joseph W. McCarthy of Falmouth and Roy T. Brubaker of Westlake Village, California.
Madeline was predeceased by two siblings: Florence J. McCarthy Jr. and Marie I. (McCarthy) McCarthy, both of Falmouth, each of whom also died of Alzheimer’s.
Madeline was a Navy wife who had lived in Rhode Island, Virginia and, for eight years, in Hanford, California before settling in Newport 42 years ago. Her Newport home was a gathering place for her family and many friends who came from far and wide. She was a communicant of Saint Mary’s Church where she was a Eucharistic Minister to the Sick. Madeline was a twenty-year volunteer with Meals on Wheels; a cheerful volunteer at Cluny School for a decade; and an active member of her neighborhood. She delighted children for many years at the Festival of Trees where she was the voice of “The Talking Tree” each Christmas. Madeline volunteered for the Navy Relief Society in every state where she lived.
Especially in the years 1971 and 1972, Madeline was the beloved mentor for many young Navy wives with small children while their aviator husbands were on eight-month deployments and in combat.
Madeline was by nature, and by upbringing from her two wonderful parents, a strong, sweet and gracious person. She was always a loving and lovable wife, mother, mother-in-law, friend, grandmother, aunt and grandaunt to many nieces and nephews. She especially delighted being around children and her love and affection for them was returned in kind. Virtually everyone who ever knew her well, admired her. Madeline loved and enjoyed the many beautiful places and people of Aquidneck Island. Over the years, she was also able to spend many days with her husband, children and extended family at New Silver Beach in Falmouth where her parents first owned a summer cottage when she was young. Eventually Falmouth became the permanent homes for several branches of the McCarthy family; the clan grew much larger over the generations and delighted in one another’s company, especially at the beach.
The family wishes to thank the professional and most caring nursing assistants Mary Kelly, Kate LeRoy, Charlot Brierley, Julie Roderiques, Tiffany Neal, Anastasia Miller, Cindy Walaski and Nurse Jane Ouellette. For over ten years, they held and loved Madeline while enabling her to be cared for at home. May the Lord bless them for doing God’s work on earth daily. We also wish to thank the staffs of All About Home Care in Middletown and Visiting Nurse Home and Hospice of Portsmouth.
Madeline’s life will be celebrated with visiting hours at the O’Neill-Hayes Funeral Home, 465 Spring St, Newport on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 from 4:00-7:00 pm. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Mary’s Church, corner of Spring St & Memorial Blvd, Newport on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 11:00 am. Burial at St. Columba Cemetery, Middletown, will be private. May she rest in peace in the arms of the Lord in heaven.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Madeline’s name to Visiting Nurse Home and Hospice, 1184 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871 https://visitingnursehh.org/giving/.
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