Obituary of Doris McCarthy

Doris Jean McCarthy, C.M, O.O., F.O.C.A&D., L.LD., R.C.A., O.S.A, C.S.P.W.C. Passed away peacefully at her Scarborough home on Thursday, November 25, 2010 in her 101st year. Predeceased by her parents, George Arnold McCarthy and Mary Jane (Jenny) Moffatt McCarthy, her brothers Ken McCarthy and Douglas McCarthy, her nephew Dale Douglas McCarthy; survived by first nephew and nieces, Brian McCarthy, Patricia (McCarthy) Jones, and Kathleen (McCarthy) Powers, as well as many great nieces and nephews in both Canada and the United States. McCarthy contributed to major art developments throughout the 20th century. Born July 7, 1910 in Calgary, and raised in the Beach area of Toronto, Doris McCarthy was recognized as one of Canada's foremost landscape painters. Among her mentors and teachers at the Ontario College of Art were members of the Group of Seven: Arthur Lismer, A.Y. Jackson, J.E.H. MacDonald and Lawren Harris. Doris graduated with honours in 1930 and began teaching at Toronto's Central Technical School in 1932, a position she held for 40 years. She was the first woman President of the Ontario Society of Artists. Author of A Fool in Paradise, an Artist's Early Life (1990), The Good Wine (1991), Ninety Years Wise (2004). In 1998, Doris donated her beloved home, "Fool's Paradise" to the Ontario Heritage Trust to be used to maintain the property in perpetuity as a retreat for developing artists, musicians and writers after her death. Born curious, Doris had an unwavering exuberance for life. She was passionate about learning, teaching, writing, travel, nature, literature, self-discipline, spirituality, and the joy of good friends. Each day represented another opportunity for her to be grateful for the world in which she lived. While Doris did not suffer fools easily, she had numerous friends and family of varying ages, disciplines, backgrounds and interests (too numerous to mention) and treated everyone as a special and unique person. The family will receive friends at the HUMPHREY FUNERAL HOME - A.W. MILES CHAPEL, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Davisville Avenue) from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 1st. The Requiem Eucharist will be celebrated in THE CHURCH OF ST. AIDAN'S, 70 Silver Birch Avenue at Queen Street East, Toronto on Thursday, December 2nd at 10:30 a.m. If desired, and in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Doris McCarthy Gallery (at University of Toronto Scarborough), Ontario Heritage Trust, or a charity of your choice. Condolences and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com.