Robert M. Mccarthy
McCARTHY, Robert M. Hortonville Robert M. McCarthy, educator, musician and Jesuit scholar passed away peacefully on September 10, 2019 at the Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville, NS. He was 80 years old. Bob died in the loving arms of his partner of 48 years, Marie, and his dear friend Fr. Wendell Eisener, CSC. He will be lovingly remembered and sorely missed by his devoted family, as well as decades of former students and fellow performing musicians. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Bob attended parochial schools there graduating from St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City) in 1956. He entered the Society of Jesus (New York province) that Fall and over the next 15 years earned degrees in Arts (Fordham), Theology (Woodstock) and Music (Peabody Conservatory), while teaching at Fordham Prep and Brooklyn Prep. He was ordained in 1969. During his time at Peabody he met graduate student Marie E. Anderson whom he married in February 1972. Together, they moved to Nova Scotia and joined the Acadia School of Music Faculty in September of that year. Assoc. Prof. of Woodwinds and Theory, Bob formed and directed The Acadia Woodwind Quintet, toured with the Vocal Ensemble and expanded the University's new summer music camps. He established the first jazz band at Acadia -- The Acadia Jazz Conspiracy (1973-2004) -- which frequently toured within the Maritimes. Their free concerts at the University were always packed-out. A sub-group of the Conspiracy, The Cajuns, could often be heard at Acadia football games playing and cheering. It delighted Bob that his school age daughter, Shannon, played an enthusiastic and competent tenor sax with the group. Bob loved playing with other musical groups, including Windsor's legendary band "The Lower Grey Street Clam Chowder and Marching Society." In recent years, his collaborative combo, Emerald Swing, played many Nova Scotia gigs advertising "Musical Styles from the Dawn of Swing to the Present". Also an athlete, Bob had a passion for basketball. He was a charter member of Acadia's long standing 'Noon-time Basketball Association' (NBA) which, as years went by, became known around the gym as 'Basketball 911.' His son, Rob E., played with the Horton High School Griffins and it was a proud moment in 2007 when Rob was inducted into Horton High's Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2004 Prof. Robert McCarthy retired from the University. He continued teaching at Dorian Hall Academy of Music in Windsor, N.S. and at his home studio in Hortonville, N.S. He now had time to develop his own research into the arrival of Jesuit fathers Pierre Biard and Ennemond Masse at Port Royal, Nova Scotia, in 1611. He felt a strong personal connection to these Jesuit missionaries..., part of this study resulted in his poetic Blog . Bob is survived by his wife, Marie; son, Robert Erin (Sarah Haddock) McCarthy of Essex, Vermont; daughter, Shannon Kathleen (Jason Turner) McCarthy, and grandsons, Ronan James and Rory Angus of Mt. Uniacke, Nova Scotia. Also surviving are his brother, Edward (Jenny Lois Hinckley) McCarthy of Vienna, Maine; sister, Mary Elizabeth (Kenneth) Taft of Vineland, New Jersey, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. There will be a Celebration of Bob's Life for friends and family at the Horton Community Centre (Hortonville, NS) on Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 12 p.m., Rev. Gary Manthome and Fr. Wendell Eisener officiating. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Nova Scotia Victorian Order of Nurses and/or Amnesty International. Arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville. Online condolences and inquiries may be directed to www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com