Dr. John E. McCarthy

Mar 25, 1939 -

Feb 18, 2021

Dr. John E. McCarthy passed away peacefully on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, surrounded by family and friends at his home in Kenai, Alaska. He was 81 years old.

At this time no public service is planned. The family will hold a memorial service this summer.

John was born on March 25, 1939, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Edward J. and Sophia (Herman) McCarthy. He grew up loving the outdoors, which included hunting and fishing. John graduated from Dowling Catholic High School where he was president of his senior class. He went on and graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and turned down a full ride football scholarship from Dartmouth College to attend dental school at Creighton University. After graduating dental school, John entered the United States Air Force and was stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. After his service in the Air Force, John married Dorothy Decker and moved to Kenai, to start his dental practice and go on to have five children. He also became a commercial fisherman for salmon in the Cook Inlet.

John enjoyed all the outdoor activities Alaska had to offer, like hunting and trapping, fishing, camping and snowmachining. After John's wife passed away from cancer, he married Debbie Turner in 1985.

When John retired from dentistry he worked as a dentist at Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward, Alaska, as well as a bus driver for the local schools. He volunteered at Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, used his dentistry skills to help on a mission trip to Peru, took part in prison ministries at Wildwood Correctional Center and was part of the Foster Grandparent program. John was a proud member of Alcoholics Anonymous with 38 years of sobriety.

John is survived by his wife, Debbie (Turner); kids, Kathleen Saltenburger (David) of Soldotna, Alaska, Peggy Hills (Troy) of Vernal, Utah, Jennifer Warren (Nathan) of Soldotna, Sara Klobucar (Brandon) of Fortuna, Calif., and Timothy McCarthy of Anchorage, Alaska; grandkids, Craig, Timothy, Danielle, Dalton, Adara, Caden, Clara, Anna and Anthony; sister, Mary Jo Simunaci of Green Valley, Ariz.; and his canine companion, Gromit.

He is preceded in death by his late wife and mother of his children, Dorothy (Decker); his, parents Sophia (Herman) and Edward J. McCarthy' father-in-law, Wayne Turner; sister, Patricia Chalupka; and brother, Cornelius McCarthy.

Arrangements were by Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai.