McCARTHY, Gertrude Cecilia – 89, Lower River Inhabitants, Richmond Co. A wonderful journey through life has come to a peaceful end with the passing of Gertrude Cecilia McCarthy, surrounded by her loving and devoted family in the Strait Richmond Hospital, Evanston, on Tuesday, September 27, 2011. Throughout her life Gertrude was known for her undeniable religious faith, and total commitment to strong family values. She was extremely proud of her church and family, as being the fabric of a successful community. Over the years, Gertrude demonstrated many acts of kindness; especially the many get well cards for friends who were experiencing misfortune. She was always one to think of others first, especially the phone calls to the sick. Gertrude never found a charity she did not like. Gertrude was a proud member of St. Francis de Sales Parish and CWL for many years, taught school for several years, was an avid reader and Toronto Maple Leafs fan, loved music, dancing and sports especially baseball and softball. The true love of her life was her family and she was no doubt the "Matriarch". Gertrude was predeceased by her late husband, Vincent McCarthy; her parents, Ed and Mary Ellen (Murphy) McNamara; brothers, Leonard, Art, Edwin and Terry McNamara; sisters, Eileen and Alice McNamara. She is survived by her fifteen children; Gerard (Carol), Spruce Grove AB; Jeanne (Ed) McWilliams, Aurora Ont; Anne (John K) Kennedy, Mary Margaret "Mare" (Henry) Malcolm, Mike (Jean), Pat, Brian (Debbie), Monica, Frances, all of Lower River Inhabitants; Joan, Halifax; Bernadette "Bunny" (John David) Keefe, Evanston; Jessie (Ronnie) Scanlan, Whiteside; Camilla, Liverpool; Maureen (Pat) MacMullin, Hammonds Plains; Clare (Steve) Nunn, Brooklyn NS; Also survived by her sisters, Kathleen (Lester) Proctor, MacIntyre Lake; Jean Jewers, Antigonish; sister-in-laws, Eileen MacNeil, Lower River Inhabitants; Teresa McCarthy, Halifax; Melinda McNamara, Joan McNamara, both of Port Hawkesbury; She is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and special family member Rosalie Cameron, Arisag; A very special thank-you to Richmond County Home Care Support Services and the Palliative Care Nurses at Strait Richmond Hospital for their kindness, compassion and exceptional care. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 30 from 2 -9 p.m. in the Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Port Hawkesbury. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Saturday, October 1 from St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church, Lower River Inhabitants, with Father Barrett Clare-Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the parish cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Strait Richmond Palliative Care Society, or to a charity of one’s choice. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com "Some people come into our lives and quickly pass, while others (like Gertrude) will leave footprints on our hearts that will last forever Service Information Service Date Saturday, October 1, 2011