Helen McCarty

Helen M. McCarty, 93, died Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, at the Lutheran Home.

She was born Oct. 7, 1918, in Kansas City, Mo., to David and Katharina Metzler. She and Ivan H. "Mike" McCarty were married April 11, 1942, in St. Louis.

Helen worked as a pharmacy tech in St. Louis. She won many ballroom dancing competitions around the country with the Fred Astaire Dance Studio.

She was preceded in death by her husband; a son, Michael I. McCarty of Cape Girardeau; two sisters, Olga Sauer of Arkansas, Ruth Metzler of Kansas City; two brothers, Walt Metzler of Kansas City and Rhinehart Metzler of Arkansas.

Survivors include a brother, Dave Metzler of California; a daughter, Judith Gau of Cape Girardeau; five granddaughters, Catherine Hosek and Patricia Stevens of Virginia, Anne McCarty of Cape Girardeau, Karen Gudgeon of Fenton, Mo., Tracy Gilbert of Georgia; and a grandson Kevin McCarty of Cape Girardeau.

Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, with a celebration of life service at the cemetery in the spring.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.