Pat McCarthy, Whitman

Age: 59
Occupation: Director of the council on aging

Proudest Accomplishments
Thirty-seven years ago I married the most wonderful man, John McCarthy, who taught me to accept life as it came. Together we have three of the greatest children - Amy, Eric and Ryan. They are happy, healthy and wonderful people and have given us five extraordinary grandchildren - Hannah, Abby, Maya, Rachel and Tyler. I also love the senior community and I feel honored that I can be a part of their lives.

Perfect Day
A perfect non-workday for me involves lots of sun, water, a good book, and my grandchildren. I have the best job in the world, and everyday at the senior center is full of fun and often craziness. Having grown up in a large family, I not only function well in chaos, I actually like it. A perfect day at work is when we’ve made a difference in someone’s life.

Looking Forward
We are in the process of planning for a new senior center in Whitman. An architect has been hired to come up with plans for the conversion of the armory. This is an exciting project and will be a wonderful gift to our community. Our senior population has grown in leaps and bounds and is projected to grow significantly in the next decade. Planning for tomorrow is exciting and challenging.

Pass it on
The most important thing I’ve learned in life is to find balance and to have sensible priorities. I grew up in a home where we were taught to love God, family, and community, pretty much in that order. It is a philosophy that has served me well and brings a balance in my life that allows me to be a happy person.

Peggy Mullen
The Patriot Ledger

Every woman has a story - Her story. Whether we volunteer our time, invest in raising our children, build a business, write a poem, paint a portrait or a community fence, there’s some knowledge and laughter to share in each of us. Nominate someone you know for Herstory by sending an e-mail to womynzone@ledger.com.