Obituary of Sharon McCarthy

Sharon McCarthy, 65, died Sunday February 26 at Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College, PA. Born Sharon Beth Weaver in Lancaster, PA, she was the daughter of Hazel Donley and Frank Weaver, both of whom predeceased her. Sharon lead a rich and eventful life that took her to live on the west coast and then back to the east coast before returning to her beloved PA. She was a Democratic Party activist, a successful merchant, an artist and a lifelong community volunteer. Wherever she went, Sharon made many friends with her sparkling personality, vivacious manner, wonderful sense of humor and her genuine interest in other people's lives. Sharon grew up in Elizabethtown, PA. and attended Peqeua Valley High school where she was a head majorette. After graduating, she moved to southern California where she attended Mount San Antonio College, and was a Sweetheart of Sigma Chi. A lifelong Democrat and daughter of a union man (IBEW) she became deeply involved in the campaigns of Tom Bradley, the first African-American mayor of Los Angeles and the California Gubernatorial campaign of Jessie Unruh. Sharon went on to supervise the internship program in the California State Legislature for many years. In 1975 she married John Burton, then a U.S. Congressional Representative from San Francisco, and moved to join him and his daughter Kimiko in Washington D.C. where Sharon lived for 25 years. She and John Burton were later divorced, and she married John McCarthy in 1983. In 1984 Sharon launched Moon, Blossoms and Snow on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., where she specialized in selling American made crafts and handmade women's clothing. Her store attracted customers from around the world. During that period she became an officer in the Capital Hill Association of Merchants and Professionals. After more than 20 years as a successful merchant Sharon closed MBS, and moved with her husband John McCarthy to Zion in central Pennsylvania. She told friends and relatives at the time that she had retired, but very soon she became deeply involved in a wide variety of non-profit cultural endeavors including service on the Boards or as an officer of the Palmer Art Museum, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, the Bellefonte Historical and Cultural Association, Farmland Preservation Artists, and the Bellefonte Museum of Centre County. After moving to Central Pennsylvania Sharon took up pastels, and quickly became an accomplished artist. She eventually worked in a variety of media and her photographs of Viet Nam are currently hanging in the Bellefonte Museum of Centre County (thru March 11th). As Sharon waged her own 15 year battle against ovarian cancer, she and two friends started the "Three C's" that soon became a larger group of ovarian cancer survivors who meet regularly to provide advice and support to one another. In keeping with Sharon's wishes a memorial celebration will be held in the spring. Her many relatives and her enormous circle of friends will gather to celebrate her life on Saturday, May 19, 2012. Please provide your email address so we may contact you with more information. Sharon is survived by her adoring husband John McCarthy; her sister, Dawn Stevens; her brothers, John Stevens, Franks Weaver, Perry Weaver; her step mother Sarah Weaver; her step daughter Kimiko Burton; her nieces, Tracy Stevens, Terri Olweiler and Joy Harnly; her nephews, Toby Frye, Randy Stevens, and Brian Stevens; her great nieces Taylor McAdam, Molly McAdam, and Alex Frye, her great nephew, Ryan Stevens; her uncles, Wilber Weaver, Gerald Weaver, Harold Weaver, and Michael Weaver; her cousins, Pat Weaver and Jill Gebhart; and numerous other cousins, great nieces and great nephews. Memorial Contributions can be made in honor of Sharon to; Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts (www.arts-festival.com/), Bellefonte Historical and Cultural Assoc. (www.bellefontearts.org/), Bellefonte Museum of Centre County (www.bellefontemuseum.org/). Online condolences at: www.kochfuneralhome.com.