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Timothy 'Tim' McCarthy
October 19, 2018

Obituary


Timothy Mccarthy, 61, born in July of 1957, in Massachusetts passed away on Friday, October 19th, 2018. He is survived by his sisters Maureen, Beth, and Colleen, his brothers, Mike, Chicky, Patrick, Gary, and Bob. He is preceded in death by his parents Anne and Charles and his sister Kathleen.

While we mourn his passing, we cannot help but reflect on the joy and goodness that he brought to the world, and to take pleasure in the knowledge that he never wasted the time he spent among us.

Tim enjoyed spending time in Provincetown, MA, his home. He was always involved in the town; supporting the theater, spending time with performers, and seeking to influence local politics. He was an avid supporter of local politicians and was working to begin a craft cannabis collective on the Outer Cape. He was a mentor and friend of anyone who needed it; always willing to listen and impart advice learned over decades of participating in and documenting the LGBTQ communities, and researching the rise of HIV/AIDS in the world.

Tim was part of ACT UP in the 80’s and 90’s, where he learned to direct his youthful exuberance and joie de vivre into meaningful change for his community. He took those lessons, from the early days of AIDS and LGBTQ activism, and translated them for a new generation over the last 20 years. His seminal achievement, his work with Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), was the logical next step for a man bent on bettering the world, not through quiet speech, but through brash action. He worked closely with SMUG, fighting to counteract those hoping to prey on a group they deemed weaker by amplifying their plight. He took great joy in standing side by side with a persecuted people and lending his voice, always loud and proud, to theirs, to help improve life for everyone who loved or wanted to be loved.

Beyond his own voice, Tim wanted to empower the repressed and oppressed to speak for themselves, as a gay video historian. You can still see his efforts immortalized in How to Survive a Plague and Voices: Combating Homophobia In Uganda, where he used his network to provide a platform where they could speak for themselves.

Tim’s passing is not an easy thing to accept; a bright light for equality and justice has been extinguished. But, if each person who has a fond memory of Tim, or appreciated his passion, can channel even a small part of his spirit and life, the world will be significantly improved one more time by our good friend and fighter, Tim Mccarthy.

A Celebration of Tim's Life and Memorial Fellowship is scheduled for Saturday, November 3rd, from 2:00 - 3:30 pm in the auditorium of Provincetown Town Hall, 260 Commercial St, Provincetown. An Artists Tribute for Tim will be held in the evening of the 3rd, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the Provincetown Theater, 238 Bradford St, Provincetown. Family and friends are invited to attend.

If desired, the family asks that you donate to a cause you believe in, and that will better the world.

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Gately McHoul Funeral Home - Business Closed
94 Harry Kemp Way
Provincetown, MA 02657
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