John Patrick McCarthy

John Patrick McCarthy, 54, of West Des Moines, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the EveryStep Kavanagh House in Des Moines, Iowa.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home in Urbandale. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Ss. John & Paul Catholic Church in Altoona. Burial will be held at the Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines. Memorial contributions can be made to Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) at St Thomas More Center in memory of John. https://stmcenter.com/donate Online condolences may be left for the family at www.caldwellparrish.com.

John was born on July 15, 1971, in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of William “Bill” and Joanna “Jody” (Broderick) McCarthy. He was baptized and later confirmed in his faith at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Des Moines. John attended St. Theresa’s Catholic School and graduated from Dowling Catholic High School with the Class of 1990.

John worked at Hy-Vee for many years, serving in a variety of departments along the way. He was a longtime member of Ss. John & Paul Catholic Church in Altoona, where his faith was an important and guiding part of his life. Through his faith, John ultimately met his best friend and wife, Kris Dorf. Together, they shared 19 wonderful years of marriage before her passing in 2023.

John was actively involved in Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) and, in earlier years, participated in youth ministry. John and Kris shared a love for travel and adventure, enjoying drives, sightseeing and adding to their collection of playing cards for different locations, which became worldwide when friends and family added to it. They also traveled across the country to attend many youth conferences together. In recent years John had a goal to see all of the Freedom Rocks across Iowa and got to quite a few.

Since John’s passing, the family has been deeply touched by the countless messages received from people near and far, all sharing the same sentiment - how genuinely kind John was. His compassion, quiet generosity, and warm presence left a lasting impression on everyone he met. Above all else, and most importantly, John loved his family. His devotion to them was unwavering, and they were the center of his world.

John is survived by his father, Bill McCarthy of West Des Moines; siblings: Mick (Carolyn) McCarthy of West Des Moines, T.J. (Amy) McCarthy of Ankeny, Marty (Beth) McCarthy of Kansas City, and Tom (Ronda) McCarthy of Windsor Heights; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; father-in-law, Joe Dorf of Altoona; brother-in-law, Bill (Jen) Dorf of Ankeny; along with other relatives and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Jody McCarthy; his beloved wife, Kris McCarthy; and his mother-in-law, Kathy Dorf.