Leonard V. McCarthy

Leonard Vincent McCarthy, 75, Bernard, Iowa passed away Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at MercyOne Medical Center from complications due to COVID-19.

A private Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, December 3, 2020 at Holy Family Church, New Melleray (Peosta, Iowa) with Fr. Rodney Allers officiating. Private Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Military Honors Accorded by the Cascade American Legion Post #528. The service will be livestreamed on the Leonard Funeral Home and Crematory’s Facebook page.  *Instructions on how to view: log into your Facebook account, search Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, LIKE the page; the video will be posted at mass time and remain up. 

Leonard was born on July 29, 1945 in Dubuque, Iowa the son of Wilfred and Rita (Larkin) McCarthy. He was a lifetime resident of Dubuque County, living on the family farm since 1948.  He attended West St. Joseph’s one room school at the east side of the farm.  He began his high school journey at Saint Columbkille’s and later graduated from Wahlert High School both of Dubuque, Iowa in 1963.  At Wahlert he participated in ROTC.  He enlisted and served in the U.S. Navy assigned to the USS Sierra based out of Norfolk, Virginia from August 1966 and was honorably discharged in August 1968 as a Boatsman 3rd Class.  He continued to serve with the Navy Reserve achieving the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class.  He then returned to farm.    After the death of his parents in 1973, he continued to farm with his beloved brother Philip as the McCarthy Brothers.  He was a lifelong member of Holy Family Church, the American Legion Post #528, the Tri-State Vietnam Veteran’s, Maquoketa Valley Rifle and Revolver Club, and the Prairie Farmers 4-H. Leonard was proud of his Irish Heritage, very patriotic, loved rural America, was devoted to his beloved animals, loved cowboy poetry, RFD-TV, the Cowboy Channel, Mecum Auctions, rodeos, a good meal at Pearl’s, and was loyal to his family and friends. It was said he could strike up a conversation with anyone at any time.  He was very knowledgeable on so many, many topics. 

He is survived by his siblings Anita (Eugene) Gudenkauf of Cascade, Philip (Colleen) McCarthy of Zwingle, Joann (Peter) Gansen of Dubuque, Elizabeth McCarthy, and Karen (Wayne) Streif of Bernard, an aunt Patricia Larkin of Cascade,  7 nieces, 3 nephews, and many great nieces and nephews. He was a proud Godfather to Dan Larkin, Bill Kane, Dennis Gudenkauf, Teresa Gansen and Katie Barnes. He is also survived by his friends who were so great in number no obituary could list them all.

He was preceded in death by his parents, aunts and uncles Bernice (Elmer) Chapman, Daniel (Myrtle) McCarthy, Dorothy (Charles) Pancratz, Angela (Joseph) Kane, Charles (Kaye) McCarthy, Vincent (Lucille) Larkin,  Adeline (John) Urbain, John (Josephine) Larkin, Amy (Vincent) Healy, Joseph Larkin,  and a niece Lois Gudenkauf.

The family would like to thank the Veteran Affair’s doctors, nurses and staff who helped Leonard over the years, and to the staff at MercyOne, 3rd floor and ICU unit for all the care they gave to Leonard during his last battle with COVID.

Online condolences may be left at www.leonardfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.