December 10, 2002
Fredonia, NY
Joseph A. McNamara, 74, of 7 Birchwood Drive, Fredonia, died peacefully Tuesday morning (Dec. 10, 2002) at Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk after a 10-year courageous battle with heart and lung disease.
He was born Dec. 19, 1927, in Brooklyn, the son of the Joseph A. and Elizabeth (Thompson) McNamara.
He was a graduate of St. Michael's College and had taught English courses at the high school level.
He spent 13 years' as a Passionist priest having served as assistant pastor at St. Mary's Church in Dunkirk. Upon leaving he priesthood, he accepted a position as a case worker with the Chautauqua County Department of Social Services in the child protection division. He also worked in positions of intake worker and center coordinator for the Department of Social Services and conducted private adoptions for the county.
In working with clients, families and his colleagues, he was highly respected for his professionalism and compassion for people. He received a distinguished service award for his performance of duties as a coordinator with the Employee Assistance Program from October 1984 to June 1993. He retired from the Department of Social Services in 1993 after 25 years of service.
He was a member of Holy Trinity Church, a past member of the Dunkirk Kiwanis club, the Civil Service Employees Association, and a past member of the board of directors of the Campus and Community Children's Center at Fredonia State University College He loved to read, research history, listen to classical music and smoke his pipe. In his continued compassion for others, he was enrolled in the New York state Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. Surviving are his wife, Carol-Joyce (Miller) McNamara, who he married on Jan. 2, 1969, in Rochester; two daughters, Gretchen Elizabeth McNamara of Unicoi, Tenn., and Meaghan Nicole McNamara at home; and three nephews.
Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sister, Elaine T Hasenohr.