Grace E. McCarthy
November 28, 1945 - September 1, 2021
Grace was born in Brockton, Massachusetts to the late Frank Morse and Grace W. Basden Morse Gatt. A twin, Grace lovingly joked that she kicked her brother Freddie out of the womb, which made her ever so slightly younger. Her jokes and love for laughter served her well throughout the ebbs and flows of life. She could always be counted on to tell a joke or two - and better yet, to laugh uncontrollably at those jokes.
Her adventurous spirit drove her across the country for a while, and her roots brought her back home to Massachusetts where she was able to reconnect with her family.
Grace was a hard worker. She never saw a room that she couldn’t make sparkle. She brought that love for cleaning along with a flair for decorating into her home. It was always beautifully and thoughtfully put together. It was also always a surprise to see - as she redecorated frequently.
The list of things she loved is quite long: The Duke, horses, Christmas, yard sales, people, cooking, crafting, animals, gardening, etc., but none of those things could compete with the love she had for her grandchildren. Grace crafted many memorable moments with them throughout the years. She made every visit special through seemingly ordinary activities - feeding the ducks at the park, getting donuts and chocolate milk at the Honey Dew drive-through, shopping at KMart, yardsaling, eating snacks and watching Nick At Nite before bed, creating ornate scrapbooks, going to concerts, and so much more.
She will be missed, but she would want people to remember her through smiles and not tears. Therefore, we will honor her request not to have a service.
In addition to her parents, Grace was preceded in death by her step-father Francis Gatt; her first husband and the father of her children, Frank Shaw; her first-born son, James Michael; her second husband, John “Mac” McCarthy; her companion of 33 years, Charles Joughin; and her siblings, Frank Morse, Thomas Morse, Edward Morse, and Margaret Somes.
She is survived by her daughter, Sheila Libby (husband - Alan), and her son, Michael Gatt; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Matthew Libby (wife - Cheryl, children - Margaret and Bryce), Nicole Tyler (husband - Ryan, children - Amelia and Oliver), Courtney Moquin (husband - Josh), and Michaela Puentes (children - Kenadie and Braelynn); her faithful companion, George Dean; and her siblings, Bette Gisetto, Gloria Sullivan, Fred Morse (twin), Lea Hathaway, Linda Osborne, and Cindi Minkle; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Grace’s honor to: Middleboro Veterans' Services. Checks should be made payable to: The Town of Middleboro. Memo Line: Veteran's Emergency Fund.
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