McCARTHY, Dorothy C. (Mullenbach) 1920-2019

MCCARTHY, MULLENBACH, HUEMANN, BROWN

Posted By: Volunteer73
Date: 3/25/2024 at 10:15:34

Dorothy C. McCarthy

Died: December 02, 2019

Dorothy Catherine McCarthy, age 99, passed away peacefully with family by her side on Monday, December 2, 2019, at the Stacyville Community Nursing Home, in Stacyville, Iowa.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, December 6, 2019, at Sacred Heart Oratory in Meyer, Iowa, with Father Raymond Burkle and Monsignor John Hemann officiating. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Meyer. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Thursday, December 5, 2019 at Sacred Heart Oratory in Meyer, with a rosary at 4:15 p.m.

On May 8, 1920, Dorothy was born in a farm house near Stacyville as the fifth of eight children to Katherine (Huemann) and Steve Mullenbach. Dorothy completed the eighth grade at Visitation Catholic School in Stacyville and then helped her mother at home.

As a young woman, Dorothy worked for some time at her brother’s café in Minneapolis and at the knitting mill in Osage. She taught herself how to drive stick-shift with the family pick-up truck in the fields. On August 25, 1951, she was united in marriage to Thomas Paul McCarthy at Visitation Catholic Church in Stacyville. Immediately after, they moved into their new home on their farm near McIntire, where they worked tirelessly and raised their family of six children. Sadly, Tom and Dorothy lost their first-born, Rose Marie, at the age of five months.

Tom and Dorothy lived in the same house their entire marriage until Tom moved to the Stacyville Nursing Home, with Dorothy following a year ago. Keeping family close to her heart was Dorothy’s joy in life. She was fondly remembered by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren for her delicious baked goods, especially her so-very-tall angel food cakes, cinnamon rolls, and chocolate chip cookies. A highlight of her week after “retiring” was Sunday morning coffee and treats after church for any family who were able to attend.

There were always “seconds” encouraged by Dorothy to family and guests at the table, as she hovered over the table, making certain everyone was content. As we grew older and more aware, almost every meal would bring the comment from one of the kids, “Sit down, Mom! You need to eat before your food gets cold.” Her work never seemed to stop; and her hands were always busy gardening, canning, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and caring for the family.

Watching her peel potatoes or apples or other produce was like watching a machine at work! She was active in the Ladies Altar Society at Sacred Heart Meyer Catholic Church. As grandchildren began arriving later, Dorothy enjoyed more time playing with them, especially card games like Uno, which the kids somehow most always won! As more leisure time came, she began reading more than ever and creating crafts and needlework projects for loved ones to cherish.

Dorothy is survived by her sons, Stephen McCarthy and Dale (Audrey) McCarthy, both of McIntire, and her daughters, Mary Underdahl of Stacyville, Joyce (Jim) Berens of Goodyear, Arizona, Nancy McCarthy of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Ruth (Donald) Weber of Omro, Wisconsin. Her surviving grandchildren include Chad (Pam) McCarthy, Kristin (Bill) Newton, Melissa (Andrew) Sprau, Adam (Sharleen) McCarthy, Amber (Travis) Shafer, Kate (Garrett) Hudson, Emma Weber, and Mercedes Lesmeister, as well as many great-grandchildren. Dorothy will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and neighbors.

As the last remaining sibling of her family, Dorothy was preceded in death by her dear sisters, Helen Brown and Virginia Mullenbach, and her brothers, Irvin, Albert, Delphin, Ralph, and Norbert Mullenbach, as well as her parents, infant daughter, Rose Marie, grandson, Danny, and great-granddaughter, Mallory.

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home (641)732-3706

SOURCE: Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home website