Michael Nye McCarty

Born on June 28, 1951, and passed away on January 19, 2026.

Mike was born in Ortonville, Minnesota, to James and Lois McCarty. He was one of thirteen children. The family moved to Hackensack around 1957, and in approximately 1970 relocated to Embarrass, Minnesota, where he began working as a mechanic for Reserve Mining Company.

He married in 1972 and had three children. During this time, he also started a logging business on the side, which he operated for several years. He worked at Reserve Mining until around 1980, when the company laid off much of its workforce.

In the mid-1980s, Mike moved to Warroad, where he drove truck, before settling in Princeton in 1985 to work for Hanson Block. When the company built a new plant in Elk River in 1989, he continued working there through its later sale to Aggregate Industries. When the plant closed in 2008, he took a position with a bus company, working on buses until his retirement.

Mike retired to the Backus area in 2013. He was considered an excellent mechanic. He had a great sense of humor and loved playing cards.  In his earlier years he enjoyed hunting and fishing, and in retirement he developed a love for gardening.

He is survived by his son James and daughter, Meghan (Jeff), grandchildren Tom, Gage, Alaina, and Aiden; brothers Dennis (Shana) and Patrick; sisters Kathy (Tom), Mary, Helen, Sue (Harris), and Maggie (Jeff); sister-in-law Monica; and many beloved nephews and nieces:  Craig, Cindy, Ian, Michelle, Tammy, Mikki, Neil, Jeremy, Jessie, Zachary, Cassie, Joseph, Brennan, Cullen, Sandra, Niles, Austin, and Amanda.  He is also survived by lifelong friends Dave and Jan Schmid, Davey and Becky Schmid, Chad and Mindy Rogers, and their children and grandchildren, who were cherished as family for more than fifty years.

He was preceded in death by his son, Jerrod; his parents, James and Lois; brothers Bud, Tim, and Joe; sisters Carolyn and Trish; sister-in-law Vicki; nephew Peter; and niece Jessica.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 18th, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the American Legion, 400 Front St., Pine River, MN 56474.