Maureen M. McCarty
March 25,1944–June 14, 2025
Maureen M. McCarty, age 81 of Prairie du Chien passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at Crossing Rivers Health in Prairie du Chien. She was born on March 25, 1944 to Dr. Graham and Mary Elaine (Burns) Smith. Raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Maureen often reminisced about her idyllic childhood on Dupont Avenue with her five siblings, and the joyful, carefree days she spent with her friends at Lake Harriet and Camp Glengarda.
Growing up, Maureen attended Visitation Catholic Grade School and Visitation Convent High School, where she made friends that she would continue to treasure throughout her life. As adults, these grade school friends continued to meet for reunions each year to celebrate their enduring bond. Beyond high school, Maureen received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Saint Catherine in St. Paul, MN and later earned her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
In September of 1968, Maureen married William Homuth and together they welcomed two beloved children, Matthew and Sarah. The pair later divorced amicably. In 1980, she married James McCarty, and although they divorced, they remained good friends up until his passing.
Guided by a profound sense of empathy and an unwavering sense of justice, Maureen found her true calling in social work. She dedicated her life to serving others, beginning at the State of Minnesota Center for the Developmentally Disabled and later as a child welfare worker in Crawford County, Wisconsin. Additionally, she served as a probation and parole agent in Milwaukee, where she formed lifelong friendships, and provided care to veterans at Zablocki VA Hospital’s outpatient drug and alcohol unit. She went on to serve as clinical coordinator for Richland County Community Services, worked at Wyalusing Academy, and ran her own counseling practice for over 16 years. In addition, Maureen taught for many years at Upper Iowa University, and in her retirement served as a mediator for Crawford County Circuit Court, and as a caregiver for Lori Knapp, Inc. She also served on numerous boards, including as Chair of the Crawford County Domestic Abuse Task Force. She had a gift for helping others overcome challenges, recognize their full potential, and feel truly seen and understood.
Maureen carried many passions throughout her life including cooking, singing, performing, reading, and spending time out on the river. A lover of food and a talented cook, she often dreamed of opening a restaurant specializing in soups. A performer at heart, she never hesitated to jump up to a microphone and entertain us with her rendition of “Stewball” or strum her banjo around a campfire with friends. Coming from a cinema-loving family, she grew up writing and performing skits with her siblings and later playing movie trivia with them at get togethers. As a voracious reader, she loved her monthly book club get-togethers and the friendships she formed there. Music was a important part of her life and she attended dozens of concerts and festivals, including Summerfest over the years.
A fierce and passionate advocate for social change, Maureen stood unwaveringly against the injustices she witnessed in the world, volunteering her time, raising her voice in marches, and generously supporting the causes she held dear to her heart.
Maureen loved to travel and visited many places throughout her life, yet nowhere ever captured her heart like New Orleans. She returned to the historic, lively city many times throughout her life, cherishing each trip shared with some of the most important people in her life, her sister Sheila, her son Matt, her granddaughter Erin, and her nieces Shawn and Chris.
A devoted, lifelong fan of the Minnesota Vikings, she never gave up hope that they would finally win a Super Bowl but often joked that she wanted six Vikings to be the pallbearers at her funeral – so they could, “Let her down one last time!”
Maureen was a thoughtful, compassionate listener who always had time for family, friends, and strangers alike, and she made a positive impact on the lives of countless people throughout her life. She was a teacher, mentor, counselor, advocate, therapist, and friend. As a strong-willed, fiercely independent woman, Maureen served as an inspiration and role model for many young women, especially her nieces and granddaughter. Erin, who looked up to Maureen as her hero, is pursuing her Master of Social Work degree at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, hoping to make a positive difference in the lives of others, like her grandmother.
No role brought Maureen greater joy than being a mother to Matt and a grandmother to Erin. She cherished the long, warm summer days she spent soaking in the sun and fishing on the Mississippi with her son, and the time she shared with her granddaughter was the most precious thing in the world to her. Her sister, Sheila, held the role as Louise to Maureen’s Thelma, and together they shared eighty years of adventures, laughter, and cherished memories.
She is survived by her son Matthew (Lisa Miller) Homuth; siblings Sheila Kautman, Robert (Ruth) Smith, Molly (John) LeClair, and Kathleen (Grant) Cole; granddaughter Erin Homuth; and nieces Shawn (Paul Geisler) Thomas and Chris Thomas, and Micaela and Vanessa Cole. She was preceded in death by her parents; infant daughter Sarah Homuth; and brother Kevin Smith, as well as both of her ex-husbands.
Visitation will be Friday, June 27, from 5. to 7 p.m. at the Garrity Funeral Home Chapel, with private interment at a later date in the Calvary Cemetery. www.garrityfuneralhome.com.
