Michael G. McCarthy
August 31, 1962 – December 30, 2020
Michael McCarthy, of Downers Grove, IL, died peacefully after a long battle with lymphoma, a stem cell transplant, and GVHD. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Adelman-McCarthy, daughters Kelly and Colleen McCarthy, and his therapy dog, Koehl; sister Christine (Albert) Goetz of Roselle; niece Alison (Goetz) Martin; and brother Thomas (Laura) McCarthy of Leander, TX.
Mike’s most cherished time was with his family. Whether traveling, at sporting events, or working around the yard he was always there encouraging and educating them, usually from behind his camera. He loved teaching his daughters to give back to the community and was very proud of the caring young women they are becoming.
Mike was a longtime member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers and served on both the National and Local Boards of Directors. Mike attained certifications CSRE and CEA. Serving as the Chicago Frequency Coordinator was perhaps his favorite “side job” as it allowed him behind-the-scenes access to Bears, Cubs, White Sox, and Blackhawks playoff games. For the past two decades he has been the Chief Engineer for Newsweb Radio. Mike took great pride in making everyone sound their best on the air. Owner of McCarthy Radio Engineering, he was happiest when messing with transmitters and towers.
He was a ham radio operator and spent time and talent giving back to the community in emergency communications. He and his friends built a huge network of repeaters allowing Chicago area ham operators to communicate with the weather service; they spent many a stormy day and night at the weather office relaying messages. He contributed technically, with Jen and a local group of hams, to rescue efforts on 9/11. Always ready to step up to help in an emergency, Mike was one of the behind the scenes people that saves lives who you never hear about.
A private funeral Mass will be held at Divine Savior Parish in Downers Grove. There will be a larger celebration of Mike’s life when it is safe to gather.
In lieu of flowers, please consider helping to save a life by being an organ, blood, or stem cell donor. Donations to support research in stem cell transplants and GHVD are accepted at bethematch.com. Or you can help save a dog, like Mike’s beloved Koehl, through a donation to adoptahusky.com
Arrangements entrusted to Hallowell & James Funeral Home, Downers Grove at 630-964-6500.
Very sad to heqr of Mike’s passing. Behr is waiting at the Rainbow bridge
Mike was a great guy and I could share one hysterical story when working on Fish’s tower in Schaumburg. The short of it is he easy laying on the sidearm with his feet against the tower. From the road you could not see the sidearm so it looked like he was flying or walking face down on the tower.
He will be missed.
73 DE N9SRW
Very sorry to hear about Mike. All our best to Tom and Laura McCarthy.
—Chris and Meg Keating and family
Very sorry to hear about Mike, Jen. We will keep you and your girls in our thoughts and prayers.
-Kimberly, Rory and Theron
Sorry to hear… Our condolences to Jen & Family.
Jen, our sincerest condolences. Our hearts go out to you, Kelly, and Colleen.
I am so sad to hear of Mike’s passing. Mike an I had been work and Ham radio friends for more than 20 years. He will be greatly missed and I will be praying for him and his family.
Very sorry to hear Mike’s passing, Jen. I will keep you, Kelly and Colleen in my thoughts and prayers.
Yuyi
Mike was a friend and colleague; we spent many hours in his basement workshop rebuilding old radio repeaters and modifying them for Ham radio use. I was his counterpart in the Amateur Radio (Ham) world, as the IL State frequency coordinator for IRA. Mike was an active member of IRA, and attended many lively meetings as a delegate of FishFAR along with Steve. Many fond memories.
Farewell; you shall be missed. My sincere condolences go to Jen and the family.
Aaron A. Collins, N9OZB
Illinois Repeater Association
Frequency Coordinator
We have lost a very astute broadcast engineer and a very loyal and trusted friend in Mike McCarthy. He will be greatly missed. We pray for the compassionate love of Christ to surround Jennifer and her family as they mourn Mike’s passing.
Dear Jen, I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope that warm and loving memories will help you, your daughters and Mike’s family through the difficult days ahead.
“We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:19 CSB
https://www.bible.com/1713/1jn.4.19.csb
. I can say Mike was everyone’s best friend! To just meet Eao was to know what it meant to belong to anything! I have great and exciting and excellent times with Mike and as we all know that most of the stories are about the expansive knowledge “AND” abilities that Mike shared with us flowingly! What a great man and a great memory! Will Mike be missed.. sure.. but his life touched me so much that I will always feel near him.
N9pno George in Dubuque Iowa!
Jen, friends and family… I am so sorry for your loss. I have known Mike for many years, having met him shortly after coming here in 1994. He certainly was a man of many talents for which his broadcast engineering legacy will forever be remembered. 73’s OM, friend/colleague…
WB0WIL
Jen, sincere condolences for your loss. Thinking of you and your family.
I think the last time I saw or spoke with Mike was 25 years ago. I remember working on radio gear in his basement when I was in high school / college. I learned much of what I know about repeaters from Mike, Steve, and the rest of the gang in that basement. All great mentors, and fond memories.
73, Mike.
Andrew
N9KET
Im sorry to hear about Mike, Jen. I will pray for you and your daughters to give you all the enough strength of the universe to overcome this event
Anita and I are praying for his survivors. Mike was a great guy and I am better having known him.