Jeremiah J. (Jerry) McCarthy of Needham, Oak Bluffs and formerly of Wellesley, died at his home on Nov. 29. He was 73.

Born in Marlborough, he graduated from Marlborough High School and received his bachelor’s degree from St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., a master’s degree in teaching from Bridgewater State College, and two National Science Awards.

His teaching career stretched from Ward Senior High School in Westerly, R.I. to St. George’s School in Newport, the Wheeler School in Providence, Dana Hall School in Wellesley, and for 27 years, Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill. He taught biology and human physiology and chaired the science department at Beaver for many years. Jerry was a popular and charismatic teacher for 43 years, and his students would seek him out at school reunions, in correspondence and in personal visits. Travel helped enriched each classroom, and Jerry toured extensively in the Middle East, Greece, Ireland and Scotland. On his sabbatical he traveled and studied in the People’s Republic of China, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Jerry was active with the Polly Hill Arboretum and the Friends of Sengekontacket on the Vineyard. For seven years he was a popular docent at Polly Hill, and he served FOS as board president for three years and still holds that title. He was FOS rep and an original member of the joint committee of the Oak Bluffs and Edgartown board of Sengekontacket. He was a member of the Farm Neck Golf Club, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum and the Needham Historical Society.

Jerry was the beloved husband for 38 years of Jean Chase McCarthy, and brother in law of Phyllis McCarthy and nephews Henry M. McCarthy Jr. and Theodore J. McCarthy, all of Needham, and brother in law of Robert E. Chase and his wife, Gratia S. Chase of Bluffton, S.C., and nephews Andrew Chase and his wife Alicia of Loveland, Colo., and Robert E. Chase Jr. and his wife Natalie of Parker, Colo. He was predeceased by his parents, Jeremiah and Katherine Mansfield McCarthy, and his brother, Henry M. McCarthy.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 11 a.m. in Christ Episcopal Church, 1132 Highland avenue in Needham. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Visiting hours will be in the Eaton Funeral Home, 1351 Highland avenue in Needham on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. Interment will be in the Needham Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the Friends of Sengekontacket, P.O. Box 740, Edgartown, MA 02539, or to the Polly Hill Arboretum, 809 State Road, West Tisbury, MA 02575.

For directions or to share a memory of Jerry please visit eatonfuneralhomes.com.