Ryan McCarthy
NORTH CAROLINA – Ryan McCarthy, 35, of Belgrade Lakes, passed away on Dec. 1, 2024, at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
Born on Oct. 29, 1989, in Hartford, Connecticut, Ryan was the son of Fredrick McCarthy and Wendy (Kaufman) McCarthy. He graduated from Messalonskee High School in Oakland, in 2008.
Ryan followed his true calling for a military career and joined the Army at the age of 18 as a Combat Engineer. He displayed fierce determination, competitive spirit, and seized every opportunity to achieve excellence, including winning the Army’s Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition in 2017. Ryan’s Army career culminated as a Special Forces Engineer Sergeant where he served as the Team Sergeant for SFOD-A 3112 with 3rd Special Forces Group. Ryan was a fearless, humble leader and mentor who left a lasting impression on all with whom he served.
Ryan loved playing any type of sport imaginable with his two sons and three dogs in their front yard and coaching his sons’ tee ball and hockey teams. Ryan’s friends and family will always fondly remember the joy and laughter he brought to their lives.
Ryan is survived by his wife, Emily, and sons, Lincoln and Callaghan; his parents Ted McCarthy and Wendy Kaufman McCarthy; sister Taylor and brother-in-law Andrew Gildein; niece Reese and nephews Harrison and Tucker; grandfather Colonel (Retired) Raymond Kaufman Jr. and grandmother Loretta Kaufman; as well as many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, December 13, from 4-7 p.m., at Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home of South Portland, 1024 Broadway. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m., on Saturday, December 14, at at Saint Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, 72 Federal Street, followed by a Celebration of Life at The Portland Club, 156 State Street from 12-2 p.m. Burial will be held in the spring. To view Ryan’s full obituary and leave an online condolence, visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ryan’s memory to the Special Forces Charitable Trust or the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
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