Lawrence James McCarthy

Lawrence James McCarthy left his home at Beara West for the last time on the night of Monday, Sept. 29, 2008. Born in Butte to Frances and Jack McCarthy on May 30, 1933, Larry was a force of nature from the get-go. Always enterprising and full of ingenuity, he lived life full of “vim and vigor.” 

On June 10, 1956, he married Margaret “Peg” Stobie at her family’s homestead ranch on the Thompson River. They met while Larry was completing his degree in petroleum engineering at Montana Tech in Butte, while Peg was finishing nursing school.

While traveling through Craig, Colo. as part of a geophysics crew for Geophysical Services, Inc., daughter Colleen was born on Aug. 26, 1957. During his time as an independent oil and gas consultant in Newark, Ohio, their second daughter Erin joined the family on Dec. 15, 1962. The family was complete on Nov. 25, 1971 when third daughter Meghan was born at Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains.

In 1966, the family moved to Plains, returning to the area homesteaded by both his wife’s parents and grandparents and his mother’s family. Opening Lawrence J. McCarthy & Associates, he spent the next 35 years as an Oil and Gas Exploration Consultant and Professional Land Surveyor. He conducted many land surveys in the Clark Fork Valley region, while his oil and gas interests were spread along the Highline from Cut Bank to Malta.

Outside of his family and business, it was no secret that Larry’s passion was his Irish heritage. He had traced his roots in the McCarthy, O’Neil and Sullivan families back to the 14th Century and their homeland on the Beara Peninsula in County Cork, Ireland. Hence, the naming of the family home outside of Plains as Beara West. Many a family gathering involved tales of the centuries of McCarthy’s practicing Christianity, the family descendancy from Irish kings and the wonderful Irish spirit. He was a member of the Clan McCarthy Society and the Niadh Nask and was especially proud of holding dual American and Irish passports.

Larry had a wonderful final summer when his entire family was home to visit over the 4th of July at the family’s Vermillion Bay property. He took great pride and joy in all his children and grand-children and was at his happiest when he had them nearby.

Larry was preceded in death by his father Jack McCarthy. He is survived by his mother Frances McGuiness of Plains, wife Peg, daughter Colleen McCarthy of Anchorage, Alaska, daughter Erin McCarthy (Tony Banovich) of Plains, daughter Meghan McCarthy-Grant (Leroy Grant) of Wasilla, Alaska and sister Joan Bjeletich of Seattle. He is also survived by grand-children Erin Marie McCarthy, Brian Wall, Nicholas Banovich, Connor Wall, Zoe Banovich, Rory Grant and Brock Grant and by many nieces and nephews.

Always a strong supporter of education and life-long learning, Memorials in Larry’s name can be made to the Plains Library Foundation, c/o P.O. Box 399, Plains, MT 59859 or the Montana Tech Foundation @ 1300 W. Park Street, Butte, MT 59701.

A wonderful collection of family and friends came together to celebrate Larry’s life and legacy at an Irish Wake at the V.F.W. Club in Plains on the evening of Friday, Oct. 3. Funeral services were conducted at Saint James Catholic Church in Plains on Saturday, Oct. 4. Cremation has taken place.