Ione Elizabeth Wilms McCarthy passed away peacefully in her home on October 19 with her family at her side. She was the oldest of five children, born on April 17, 1926 in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota to Peter Ewald Wilms, and Adele (Dell) Angeline Kost. Ione attended St. Catherine's Cadet Nursing School in St. Paul, Minnesota and earned her degree in 1948, continuing her education at St. Louis University. While attending daily mass, she met a young dental school student, John Broughton McCarthy of Butte, Montana. They married in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota on August 3, 1950. Soon thereafter, they returned to Butte to begin their lives together. Strong in their Catholic faith and in family, they were blessed with 10 children. On October 18, 1967 Broughton McCarthy passed way from Hodgkins Disease, he was 44.

Ione returned to nursing and served as a school nurse for the Butte School District from 1972-1992. Ione was engaged in many activities throughout her life. She was most happy with the combination of family, friends, travel, and outdoor adventures. She set a great example to her large family, living life to the fullest, and always doing it her way with a smile. Annual family vacations, decades of family reunions, world-wide travel with her close Butte friends, adventures with her "rats" and countless hobbies gave her amazing memories that provided profound happiness to her final days.

Ione is survived by her sister and brother in-law Mary Fran and John Peterson of Perham, MN, her ten children; Cathy Walker (Bill) children Shaun, Gabriel. Lucy; Mary Jo Stosich (Steve) children Keli, Ryan, Stacie, Ali; Patti Walker (Dan) children Beau, Meg, Annie, Austin; Peggy McCarthy, Frank McCarthy (Amy) children McKye, Taylor, Jake, Luke; Ann Ueland (Dan) children Zach, Beth, Sarah, Michael; Mary Beth Stajcar (Mike) children Matthew, Hannah; David McCarthy (Melissa) children Maddi, Alex, David, Brooke; John McCarthy (Tracy) children Nolan, Kevin, Dylan, Matthew McCarthy. Ione had 23 great grandchildren.

Ione is preceded in death by her sisters Charlotte Jacobson, Jeanette Kiefer and her brother Herb Wilms.

The family would like to thank all those who comforted Ione in her final years, including Deacon Bernie McCarthy, Dr. Paul Siddoway and Mikelynn McCarthy, the Senior Solutions team; Sheena and her staff; Suni, Abby, Heather, Julie, Sami, Sheila, Libby, Lori, and Deacon Dan McGrath.

The vigil will be held Friday, October 22 from 6-8 p.m., Duggan Dolan Mortuary. The family kindly requests that masks be worn.

Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, October 23 at 12 p.m., Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. The family kindly requests that masks be worn.

Rite of Committal, Private and Family only, Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Butte Montana.   Memorials are suggested to the Butte Food Bank.