Wilma E. McCarty

Wilma Eileen McCarty, 86, of Davenport, passed away Monday, March 16, 2026, at the Davenport Lutheran Home. Memorial services celebrating her life will be held at Edgewood Baptist Church in Rock Island on March 20, 2026 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be held at the church, prior to the service starting at 10 a.m.

Her final resting place will be in Rosehill Cemetery in Buffalo at a later date. Memorials may go to Heartland Hospice or Edgewood Baptist Church.

Wilma was born in Brookfield, Missouri, to Robert W. and Gladys (Farris) Dowell. She graduated with honors from Bettendorf High School in 1957. Afterwards, she studied elementary education at Baptist Bible College and Seminary in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.

She was married to Robert Brabant, and they later divorced. She married Gerald McCarty on November 14, 1998. He died before her on November 15, 2007.

Wilma first worked as a substitute aide and office worker for the North Scott School District from 1980 to 1981. She was a food service manager for the Canteen Company from 1981 to 1990. She worked at the State of Iowa Department of Corrections, where she held roles as a food service manager and cook. After her time at the Canteen Company and North Scott Schools, Wilma served as an administrative assistant at North Cascade Ear, Nose, Throat, and Plastic Surgery in Mt. Vernon, WA. Before retirement she finished her career at Stadelman Eye Care.

She enjoyed gardening, cooking, crafts, walking, and reading. Most of all, spending time with her family was her greatest joy. Family and friends remember Wilma most for her compassion, kindness, and joyful spirit. She played games with her grandchildren and had a very large collection of buttons, which provided hours of sorting and counting. She kept a pantry full of her favorite foods and snacks that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren enjoyed immensely when they visited, sometimes to the chagrin of their parents. Her houseplants and garden thrived under her green thumb. She was quick with a hug, a smile, and a word of encouragement.

She was a very active member of Edgewood Baptist Church. She participated in and led Bible studies, taught and served as superintendent of Sunday school, and worked in the nursery.

Those left to cherish her memory include her children: Mark (Julie) Brabant, Chillicothe, IL; Benaiah Brabant, Woodridge, NJ; Dean (Charlotte) Brabant, Eldridge; Michael (Cindy) McCarty, Rock Island; Steven (Linda) McCarty, Blue Grass; and Cathy (David) Leonard, Davenport; 14 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, along with numerous extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Gerald, and her sister, Creta Paget.