Thomas Walter McGarvey

Tom McGarvey of Des Moines died Sunday, January 1, 2023 at the Iowa Jewish Senior Life Center of Lewy Body Syndrome complications. Services will be held Friday, January 13, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway. Visitation will be one hour before the service. Burial will be at Linwood Park Cemetery in Boone, Iowa.

Thomas Walter McGarvey was born June 15, 1945, in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Sylvester and Blanche Kirsch McGarvey of rural Hudson, Iowa. He was the middle child in his large family. He was a proud graduate of Don Bosco High School in Gilbertville, Iowa, and of Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, where he earned a degree in accounting.

He was a field agent for the Internal Revenue Service for 35 years and later worked part-time for 12 years for the Client Security Commission of the Iowa Supreme Court, auditing attorneys' trust accounts around the state

He married Carol Marlow in Perry, Iowa, on June 12, 1971. He developed a passion for genealogy in the 1970s and was the unofficial historian for his family. He was active in the Iowa Genealogical Society for many years and was a member of Irish and German interest groups. Besides his own research, he helped many others find their family roots.

Tom was one of the founding members of the Waveland Woods Neighborhood Association. He served as president for three terms, was on the board for many years, and coordinated the neighborhood flower planting for 17 years. He was a board member of the National Treasury Employees’ Union for 25 years.

While he answered to Tom or Thomas, his favorite names were Dad and Papa. He was so proud of his three children, their spouses, and seven precious grandchildren.

He is survived by Carol, his wife of 51-plus years; his children, Matthew (Kara) McGarvey of Ankeny, Andrew (Jennie) McGarvey of Corona, California, and Molly (David) Meyer of Des Moines; his grandchildren, Karlin and Fletcher McGarvey, Campbell, Sawyer and Harrison McGarvey, and Drake and Dane Meyer; his siblings, James (Shirley) McGarvey of Cedar Falls, Margaret Ann (the late Cletus) Steffen of Dunkerton, brother-in law, Jim Weber of Virginia, Minnesota - spouse of the late Mary Alice Weber, Wayne (Becky) McGarvey of Hudson, Paula (Ken) Ladage of Marion, Beth (Bill) Taylor of Hazel Green, Wisconsin, and brother-in-law Gary Marlow of Des Moines.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Orville and Clara Marlow; his sister Mary; an infant sister, Frances Marie; and an infant daughter, Sarah Ellen.

Memorials are suggested to the Iowa Genealogical Society, 628 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309-1924.

Rest in peace, Tom. We love you so much.

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