Robert Landom McCarthy passed away on March 23, 2023, in Pasadena, California at age 91.
“Bob” was born on February 11, 1932, in Washington, D.C. He was the son of the late Landon James McCarthy, and Mabel Elizabeth Brown, and brother to the late Shirley Faraday.
He is survived by his devoted and beloved wife of 62 years, Dot; his two daughters, Laura and son-in-law Jamie Knoop, Lisa and son-in-law John Sandifer; and his son Jim McCarthy.
He was “Papa” to his 7 grandchildren: Shaun Knoop, Caitlin Vartanian, Madeline Newman, Michael Sandifer, Brent Sandifer, Sara Van Os, and Max McCarthy. He was “Papa Mac” to his 10 great-grandchildren: Haddon, Samuel, Clive, Mabel, Jane, Julia, Laura, Betty, Charlotte, and Brooke.
Bob grew up in East Washington, D.C., and was the first recipient at Eastern High School to be given a perfect attendance award. He played football, pitched left-handed on the school’s baseball team, and thrived in his art classes.
At 18, Bob enlisted in the Army and served as an engineer topographer in the Korean War. Following his time in the service, he attended Maryland University and studied police science for a couple of years. After a night of “walking the beat” with his cousin, Bob decided police work wasn’t for him.
In 1957, a friend convinced him that all the jobs were in California and that there was also money to made abroad “tax free.” So, Bob headed to Caracas Venezuela to work in the oil industry for a couple of years before moving to Los Angels, California, where he met his future wife, Dorothy. They married quickly and settled in La Cañada, where they raised their family and made a home for 59 years.
Bob worked in civil engineering at Brown and Caldwell where he headed up one of their design groups for 25 years. He began consulting for other engineering companies and ended his career working at the Los Angeles County Sanitation District. Bob retired at 84 years old.
He loved the game of golf, USC football, and little league baseball. He played, watched, and coached hundreds of young pitchers over the years. Bob was the consummate “family man.” He worked hard, was loyal to his friends and loved spending time with his family, especially around a dinner table or at Lake Tahoe. His humor, practical wisdom, and constant care will be missed by all who knew him.
A celebration of Bob’s life will be held at All Souls Church in Burbank, CA, at 1:00 p.m. on May 8, 2023.
