Obituary for Ann McCarthy
ANN J. McCARTHY (Johnson) – 85 of Absecon passed away peacefully at home with her loving family by her side and goes on to tend heaven’s gardens. Ann was born to Morgan Johnson and Elizabeth Jones Johnson and lived her early years in West Atlantic City and Pleasantville. She attended Pleasantville HS where she met the love of her life and future husband Eddie. At Pleasantville High, Ann was proud to be a majorette and she was also voted Queen at her senior Sweetheart Dance. Ann and Ed married and started a family whom they raised in their beautiful Absecon home, which they were so proud of. It was at this home that Ann began her love of gardening, a love she nurtured and became quite skilled at continuing throughout her 3 homes that they built together. In addition to her gardening, Ann (along with Ed) enjoyed life with their many friends and family, including boating, canoeing, and picnics along the Wading River and other areas of the Pinelands. She spent much of her life in the woods with both her family and friends and she especially enjoyed walking her beloved dogs. Ann was an accomplished cook and baker, which skill she learned from her mother and she enjoyed hosting many dinners for friends and family and of course the holidays throughout the years. She and Eddie also traveled extensively throughout the years with their many friends. These special vacations started in the Poconos and then New England and the White Mountains, a place they visited with their friends and then shared their
special spots with their family and grandchildren. They spent many years at Pico Peak in Vermont with their family in tow, always as a guest of the several chalets their friends owned on the mountain. It was clear, that both Ann and Ed had a true love of the mountains and nature.
In their later years, once the kids had left the nest, they built their second home in Germania. A picturesque 5 acres of amazingly groomed woods and gardens. This beautiful home and garden oasis was what Ann referred to as the “grandkids years”. This is where all the family gathered for special holidays, including the “Walk” at Thanksgiving and Christmas time and the Egg hunt at Easter, as well as many summer barbeques. But truly their home in Germania, known as “Setters Knoll”, will be mostly remembered for Ann’s amazing gardens which spread throughout the 5 acres. Their last home was special to them as well. It was there at Blue Heron Pines that Ann (and Ed) met more amazing people – their wonderful neighbors! They spent many an afternoon and evening sitting on their back patio with cocktails in hand, “shooting the breeze” enjoying the friendship of their neighbors. As Ann and Ed’s health began to falter, their neighbors were always there to lend a helping hand and would check in on them on a regular basis. Throughout her life, Ann always kept busy, besides an amazing homemaker, Ann was a member of the Absecon Methodist Choir and also a member of the Chi Delta Sorority. Besides gardening, Ann enjoyed painting, knitting and reading. She also worked part time at Atlantic Electric, Stockton State College Library and Renault Winery. And with each job, Ann always came away with more lifelong friends.
Ann’s memory will live forever in the hearts of her family. Ann is predeceased by her parents, Morgan and Elizabeth Johnson (Jones) and husband, Edward, her dear sister, Betty Hornbostle and brothers, Morgan, Bobby, Donald and Tommy Johnson. She will be dearly missed by her children, Edward (Larry) and Donna McCarthy, Pamela and Bill Stearns, and Elizabeth (Beth) Monteith as well as her grandchildren, Melissa (Scott) Bencze, Jennifer (Justin) Giovanetti, Kristen McCarthy, Elizabeth (Chuck) Hildebrand, Megan (Jerry) Connolly, Adam (Christine) Stearns, Jessica (Evan) Monteith-Finkelstein, Danielle (Max) Stearns, Matthew (Christina) Monteith and Michael McCarthy and 13 of the most adorable greatgrandchildren. Additionally, there are her many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly and still spoke of so often even though she didn’t get to see them. Ann would want me to also mention her many friends who have passed before her (whom I am sure she is now with in Heaven enjoying her Old Fashion) and the good friends who were there with her to the end, including her special friend, Susanne Morrell, and her high school friends whom she held dear to her heart. And lastly, her Blue Heron family, who stayed in touch til the end, even after she sold her home last Fall.
A memorial service will be held at Adams-Perfect funeral home in Northfield, on Friday, May 7th with visitation at 10 am and a short service to follow at 11. In lieu of cut flowers, the family asks that you plant something in her memory or send a flower for her garden to be planted in her memory at her daughter, Pam’s home in Absecon.
special spots with their family and grandchildren. They spent many years at Pico Peak in Vermont with their family in tow, always as a guest of the several chalets their friends owned on the mountain. It was clear, that both Ann and Ed had a true love of the mountains and nature.
In their later years, once the kids had left the nest, they built their second home in Germania. A picturesque 5 acres of amazingly groomed woods and gardens. This beautiful home and garden oasis was what Ann referred to as the “grandkids years”. This is where all the family gathered for special holidays, including the “Walk” at Thanksgiving and Christmas time and the Egg hunt at Easter, as well as many summer barbeques. But truly their home in Germania, known as “Setters Knoll”, will be mostly remembered for Ann’s amazing gardens which spread throughout the 5 acres. Their last home was special to them as well. It was there at Blue Heron Pines that Ann (and Ed) met more amazing people – their wonderful neighbors! They spent many an afternoon and evening sitting on their back patio with cocktails in hand, “shooting the breeze” enjoying the friendship of their neighbors. As Ann and Ed’s health began to falter, their neighbors were always there to lend a helping hand and would check in on them on a regular basis. Throughout her life, Ann always kept busy, besides an amazing homemaker, Ann was a member of the Absecon Methodist Choir and also a member of the Chi Delta Sorority. Besides gardening, Ann enjoyed painting, knitting and reading. She also worked part time at Atlantic Electric, Stockton State College Library and Renault Winery. And with each job, Ann always came away with more lifelong friends.
Ann’s memory will live forever in the hearts of her family. Ann is predeceased by her parents, Morgan and Elizabeth Johnson (Jones) and husband, Edward, her dear sister, Betty Hornbostle and brothers, Morgan, Bobby, Donald and Tommy Johnson. She will be dearly missed by her children, Edward (Larry) and Donna McCarthy, Pamela and Bill Stearns, and Elizabeth (Beth) Monteith as well as her grandchildren, Melissa (Scott) Bencze, Jennifer (Justin) Giovanetti, Kristen McCarthy, Elizabeth (Chuck) Hildebrand, Megan (Jerry) Connolly, Adam (Christine) Stearns, Jessica (Evan) Monteith-Finkelstein, Danielle (Max) Stearns, Matthew (Christina) Monteith and Michael McCarthy and 13 of the most adorable greatgrandchildren. Additionally, there are her many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly and still spoke of so often even though she didn’t get to see them. Ann would want me to also mention her many friends who have passed before her (whom I am sure she is now with in Heaven enjoying her Old Fashion) and the good friends who were there with her to the end, including her special friend, Susanne Morrell, and her high school friends whom she held dear to her heart. And lastly, her Blue Heron family, who stayed in touch til the end, even after she sold her home last Fall.
A memorial service will be held at Adams-Perfect funeral home in Northfield, on Friday, May 7th with visitation at 10 am and a short service to follow at 11. In lieu of cut flowers, the family asks that you plant something in her memory or send a flower for her garden to be planted in her memory at her daughter, Pam’s home in Absecon.