Anne R. McCarthy-a adolescent’s memory

Another wonderful memory involving Anne Purtell occurred when I was 12 years old. My Dad drove my mother and me to Hoboken, New Jersey, where we boarded a train by the name of “ The Phoebe Snow” and headed to Binghamton, NY. We were on our way to attend Anne’s wedding to Mr. Eugene McCarthy. My mother absolutely loved her younger Coleman cousin, Anne, and on several occasions Anne shared with me the loving feelings she had towards my Mom, her older cousin, Rita Mary O’Donnell Fries whom she admired and viewed as a role model. A bit of family pride was the fact that the 8 Coleman children born to Hannah Byrne and G. Francis Coleman produced a whopping 46 first cousins. For me, Anne was a link between her generation and mine. We were 10 years apart in age - Anne was born in 1935 and I came into this world in 1945. As my mother taught me, I was Anne’s “first cousin, once removed “. As I got older Anne became a mentor, role model, non-judgmental sounding board, and a true spiritual soul mate. I am filled with gratitude for Anne Purtell McCarthy and I will carry her love in my heart eternally.