Martha Cashel McCarthy 1935-2020

Martha Cashel McCarthy (better known as Marnie), daughter of Charles and Theodora Cashel, was born in Worthington, MN on November 13, 1935. She and her family became summer residents of Alexandria in 1944, when they bought a cottage on Government Point, Lake L’Homme Dieu. As a girl, Marnie became a keen golfer, and competed in the Alexandria Resorters tournament, winning the women’s chamionship consolation round while still in high school. Marnie attended Bryan Mawr College and received her BA from the U of M, where she met her husband, Bill McCarthy. They married in 1957, and over the succeeding  years hatched a flock of four children. In 1974 they moved their family to Santa Fe, NM, and continued to make the summer pilgrimage to Alex. Marnie was a skilled ceramist,  an avid birder and watercolorist, and a loyal and loving friend to many. She continued to find joy in the time she spent on Lake L’Homme Dieu, and didn’t know that the summer of 2019 would be her final one in a place that was as much home to her as anywhere on earth. Marnie passed away on May 28, 2020. She is survived by her husband, Bill, and four children: son Dan McCarthy of Santa Fe (with wife Annie), and three daughters: Sarah McCarthy Madrid (with husband Peter Adams) of Denver, CO, Molly McCarthy (with husband Henry Lacy) of Pollensa, Mallorca, and Laura McCarthy of Denver, as well as seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Mike Cashel of Chevy Chase, MD, with wife Pat Earl and two daughters. All of her survivors continue their own summer pilgrimages to Lake L’Homme Dieu, and will fondly remember alll the happy times spent there with Marnie.