Noreen V. McCarthy

Noreen Violet McDermott-McCarthy, 98, of Galena, IL, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2025. A private family burial will be later. The Furlong Funeral Chapel in Galena is assisting the family. She was born March 10, 1927, to Austin and Christine (Foht) McDermott. Noreen married Edmond “Mick” McDermott on April 23, 1949. Two daughters were born from that union. She later married Daniel McCarthy. Noreen and her four siblings were born and raised in the little house on the only side of Prospect Street they call the Osprey’s Nest. She was very proud of that and of her hometown of Galena. She loved to dance to the big bands that would play at the Palais Dance Hall and even shared a dance with Lawrence Welk. She worked at the Burgess Battery Factory, the cafeteria at the Galena School System, and for over 20 years as a bartender at the Galena VFW, where she met her second husband, Dan. Together, they shared a love of the Mississippi River and spent many weekends at their camp at Gordon’s Ferry, across from the Ferry landing. She was a lifelong fan of the Chicago Cubs. She had a special place in her heart for animals and feeding the birds. She passed her love of gardening on to her two daughters. She is survived by her loving daughters, Janice (Randy) Watson and Nancy (Mike) Plumley, four grandchildren, Jamie (Lisa) and Ryan (Cori) Watson, Michael and Jessica Podolsky (fiancée Tony Yanella), six great-grandchildren McKenna, Kaitlyn, Camryn and Mac Watson, Madison and Anthony Yanella and the excitement of a new Watson great grandchild on the way. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Beatrice, Vivian, Austin “AJ”, and Carol, and her husband Dan. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Midwest Senior Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque.