David William McCarthy

David William McCarthy, 69, of Colorado, passed away on October 12, 2023, with his family by his side.

Born to Joseph Howard McCarthy Jr. and Henriette (Neubuerger) McCarthy, David grew up in the quintessential 1950s-1960s outdoor lifestyle of Golden, Colorado alongside his siblings: enjoying skiing, camping, fishing, and swimming.  

His love of skiing drew him to Georgetown, Colorado in his early adulthood where he (principally) became a ski patrolman at Loveland Ski Area.  He was always brimming with ambition, confidence, and a strong work ethic: so one job was not enough.  He was a volunteer firefighter, an EMT, a bartender, and proudly operated heavy equipment during the construction of the Eisenhower Tunnel.  And of course, he met a girl and fell in love:  David and Rosemarie (Rosie) Laurita married in 1977.

David and Rosie started their lives together in Arvada, Colorado where he began selling real estate; moving to Aurora, Colorado a few years later.  Then things got really good: in 1980, their first daughter, Courtney, was born.  Four years later, their second daughter, Katherine, arrived and completed the family: thus, began a bond between 4 people that would never be broken.

Along with Rosie, David raised his daughters to be kind, loving, caring, hard-working, humble, and always respectful. One of the great joys of his life was coaching his daughters’ swim team, the Smoky Hill Sharks:  instilling his strong work ethic and sense of sportsmanship into the kids while ensuring fun was at the core of every practice and competition.

David had a remarkable career in the real estate industry.  Early on, he realized his passion and aptitude for the industry as a top real estate broker in the Denver Metro area.  This was followed by rapid career growth through several prominent regional and national real estate firms: forming and operating three successful asset management companies along the way.  David's ideas, ambition, and creativity in real estate culminated in the mid-1990s when he and two partners founded a new company in the distressed assets sector.  Serving as President and CEO for 15 years, he grew the company from a staff of 3 to over 350 employees.  Simultaneous with his excellence in operating his flagship company, David continued to trail blaze as a subject matter expert in this niche of the real estate world: becoming a nationally-renowned speaker, educator and authority.

Retirement didn’t last long: to keep his toe (rather, “both feet”) in the water of the real estate world, he continued advising real estate development projects and stewarded numerous HOA boards (presiding as President on several).  His continued enthusiasm for life, breadth and depth of knowledge, and leadership continued to support an endless parade of people who sought his guidance and problem-solving abilities in any subject presented to him.  David always put aside his personal tasks to help and mentor all who needed him.

Immeasurably missed by his family and friends, who love him deeply, we are grateful for the everlasting, positive impact that he had (and will continue to have) on the lives of so many.

David is survived by his wife Rosie; daughters Courtney McRae (Scott) and Katherine McCarthy; brother Thomas McCarthy (Diane); twin brother Steven McCarthy: and sisters Jennifer Reanier, Laura Daniels, and Michelle McCarthy.

A service is imminent: in lieu of flowers, one can honor David with a donation to the Gary Sinise Foundation (www.GarySiniseFoundation.org).  Also, David enjoyed sending and receiving mail:  if the spirit of the Pony Express moves you, please consider buying a stamp from Uncle Sam and sending a letter to someone you love.