Raymond J. McCarthy

Raymond J. McCarthy, a cabinet and furniture maker who lived in Montauk and Sag Harbor for more than 30 years, died of kidney failure related to prostate cancer complications on Saturday at Hyder Family Hospice House in Dover, N.H. He was 67 and lived in Wolfeboro, N.H.

Mr. McCarthy moved to Montauk from Kearny, N.J., in 1972 primarily because of his love of the water. He became close friends with many of the local fishermen and cooked at several Montauk restaurants, including the Westlake Fishing Lodge, the Montauket, and the Montauk Yacht Club, where he met his wife, Denise Bernier McCarthy, who survives him.

For 20 years, until he moved to New Hampshire in 2005, he operated Ray McCarthy Custom Woodwork and left his “brand” on a number of pieces on the South Fork. After moving to Wolfeboro, he worked as facilities manager for the Wright Museum, where he built display cases and other custom furniture for the museum’s World War II-related collections.

Mr. McCarthy was born in Kearny on Sept. 9, 1946, to Raymond J. McCarthy and the former Isabel McCauley. He served in the Army in Vietnam from 1965 to 1967. He married Denise Bernier on Jan. 29, 1979. While living here, he had several magazine articles published and was a regular contributor to The East Hampton Star’s fiction column. A self-taught pedal steel guitar player, he performed with a band in New Hampshire.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two children, Matthew McCarthy of Wolfeboro and James McCarthy of East Wakefield, N.H., and four siblings, Sue Ackerson and Jeanne Stout of Toms River, N.J., MaryAnn Ragany of Princeton, N.J., and Lorraine McCarthy of Atlantic City.

A funeral service will be held today at 10:30 a.m. at First Christian Church in Wolfeboro, of which he was a member. The Rev. Thom Christian will preside. Mr. McCarthy will be buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Wolfeboro.

The family has suggested memorial contributions to Hyder Family Hospice House, 285 County Farm Road, Dover, N.H. 03820.