John "Jack" Follis McCarthy

John “Jack” Follis McCarthy, aged 100, died August 8, 2014 at home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Jack formerly lived in Pickford and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. He was born December 16, 1913 to Irish and Scottish descendants Mildred Mary Follis McCarthy and Michael Joseph McCarthy of Tone, Michigan, six miles north of Pickford. Jack attended Pickford Public Schools and graduated in 1932. In 1932 after high school graduation, he began working for the State Highway Department, then worked for various companies in the construction business in Flint, Michigan and on Drummond Island, Michigan. In June 1953, Jack began work at the Limestone Quarry in Cedarville, Michigan until his retirement in December, 1976. In 1999, he and his wife moved to an apartment in Sault Ste. Marie and then in 2007 they left Michigan to live at Heritage Assisted Living facility in Eau Claire near their son and daughter-in-law Mike and Kay McCarthy. Jack's sister introduced him to his future bride, Verona Sarah Elaine Garrett. They were married October 28, 1939 at Holy Family Church, Barbeau, Michigan and in 1953 they settled in a home six miles north of Pickford. Jack was a member of the Holy Family Catholic Church, St. Mary's Pro Cathedral Catholic Church in Sault Ste. Marie, and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Eau Claire. Jack loved hunting and fishing, and read whatever he could get his hands on. His love for the Tigers and Lions went with him to Wisconsin, but he slowly became a Brewer and Packer follower...since that was what was on television! Jack built birdhouses, cut trees for their wood stove, built a large garage for his wood and numerous tool/yard implements, gardened, repaired anything, and landscaped his yard, shaping the spruce trees on his property for all to enjoy. He also picked blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries for Verona's raspberry jelly. He totally renovated their home in Pickford which was 50 years old when purchased in 1953. Jack and Verona travelled a lot in retirement, either flying or road trips to visit siblings and their children and families. Over the years they traveled to California, Illinois, North Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia, making side trips to Mexico, national parks and monuments, and the D.C. area. While at his children’s homes, he would construct and repair items on their "list", and sightsee nearby attractions. They also chaperoned their daughters' Pickford Senior class trips to Chicago and Gettysburg/Washington, D.C. Jack was preceded in death by his wife of 73 years, Verona in June 2013; son, Richard John McCarthy in 1977; father, Michael in 1946; mother, Mildred in 1945; daughter-in-law, Ilene McCarthy in 2005; brothers, Ray and Robert McCarthy; sisters, Rita McCarthy Graham; Frances McCarthy Donnelly; Audrey McCarthy Handziak; Berta McCarthy LaDuke; and Irene McCarthy Doepker. Survivors include his children Michael (Kay) McCarthy of Eau Claire; Mary Jacquelyn “Jackie” (Richard) McCarthy Fineberg of Alamo, California; Barbara McCarthy of Round Hill, Virginia; siblings, Gladys McCarthy Carmean of St. Ignace, Michigan, and Joseph Howard McCarthy of Pickford and Sault Ste. Marie; grandchildren, Steve (Jenni) Fineberg of Pleasanton, California, Ben (Amie) Fineberg of San Francisco, California; Sara (Sean) Fineberg Tuttle of Norwell, Massachusetts, Rena (Geno) McCarthy Hanson of Roberts, Wisconsin; Kelly (Rob) McCarthy Harter of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, David (Amy) McCarthy of Toma, Wisconsin, Chris (Jennie) Hill of Round Hill, Virginia, and Erin (Donald) Hill Boldin of Leesburg, Virginia; and great-grandchildren, Jacob and Elizabeth Fineberg, Josie and Sam Fineberg, Kelsey and Emily Tuttle, Alex, Mike, Jake and Grace Hanson, Max, Lacy, Sam, and Clara Harter, Skyler and Madison McCarthy, Hadley, Jack, Matt, and Ben Hill, and Garrett, Ryan, and Patrick Boldin. Memorial Mass for Jack and Verona McCarthy will be held Saturday, August 1, 2015, at 1:00 P.M. at Holy Family Church in Barbeau, Michigan. Interment will be at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens in Bruce Township, Michigan. Memorial contributions may be made to Holy Family Catholic Church, mailing address, 1529 Marquette Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783 or St. Joseph's Hospital Hospice, mailing address, Friends of St. Joseph Hospital Hospice, 2661 County Hwy I, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729.

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John "Jack" Follis McCarthy

December 16, 1913 - August 8, 2014