Virginia D. McCarty

Virginia Dill McCarty Virginia Dill McCarty championed women's rights in Indiana. She was an Indiana leader of the women's movement for equal political, economic and social opportunity for women. As an appointee of President Jimmy Carter she was the first woman in the country to be appointed to a full term as a United States Attorney. Mrs. McCarty also inspired many in her bid for Governor of the State of Indiana. Mrs. McCarty died on May 26 at her home at the age of 81. She was a fifth generation Hoosier and a lifelong resident of Indiana. She continued to practice law up to the time of her death. She was married to the late Mendel O. McCarty, Indianapolis banker and Realtor. After graduation from Indiana University, Bloomington, Mrs. McCarty attended law school at Indiana University Law School - Indianapolis where she was admitted to the Order of the Coif. She graduated first in her class in 1950. Throughout her life Mrs. McCarty was active in law and government. Among her many activities, she served as a bar examiner for six years (1970-1976), was a member of the Indiana Lawyers Commission which was funded by the Lilly Foundation (1975-1977) and was part time Chief Counsel to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, during James Kelley's administration. She was chairman of the Board of the Indiana Department of Corrections in 1985 and continued to serve on the Board until 2005. In 1971 she was co-founder and first president of the Indiana Woman's Political Caucus. After serving her term as United States Attorney Mrs. McCarty joined the Indianapolis law firm of Landman and Beatty where she was a partner until her death. Mrs. McCarty believed that she could make her best contribution through politics. She was the first woman nominated by a major party for Judge in Marion County. She was also the first woman to be nominated as the Democratic candidate for Attorney General of Indiana in 1976 when she led the national and state ticket by getting more votes than any other Democratic candidate since 1968. Mrs. McCarty was the recipient of many awards and honors including the Distinguished Alumni Service Award, Indiana University (1979), Woman of the Year, Indianapolis Star (1978), Woman of the Year, B'Nai B'rith Indianapolis Chapter (1973), Martin Luther King Jr. Political Action Award, Indianapolis Education Association (1973). Besides her professional and political life, she loved the study of archeology and was a frequent traveler. In recent years she had traveled to many countries including Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, France, and Uzbekistan. A few years ago she went on a Safari in the Serengeti with her family. Friends and colleagues remember Virginia as a brilliant woman who lived her life with a passion for justice and equal rights for all. A native of Plainfield she loved Indiana and believed that it was the best place in the County to live. Her children, Janet M. McCarty and Michael B. McCarty; daughter-in-law, Amy Livingston; grandchildren, Nicholas K. McCarty and T. Kyle McCarty; brother, R. H. Dill and his wife, Grace Falvey, survive her. Calling for Mrs. McCarty will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Center - Broad Ripple. Services will be at 1:00 p.m. Friday in Flanner and Buchanan. Memorial contributions may be made to the Indiana Historical Society, Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis or The Carter Center.