Francis Michael Mcnamara

CHAPEL HILL, NC — Frank McNamara celebrated his seventy-first wedding anniversary with the love of his life, Helen, on Wednesday. He died peacefully a day later, August 12, at Chatham Ridge Assisted Living. He was 96.

Francis Michael McNamara—known as “Mac” to his family and friends—loved his wife, his family, his friends and the Boston Red Sox. He was born February 4, 1926, in Northbridge, MA, the youngest of Joseph and Mollie McNamara. His parents died when he was a child and he was lovingly nurtured by his older sibling, John McNamara and Margaret McNamara Dillon, both of whom predeceased him.

Frank played baseball at St. Mary’s Central Catholic High School in Milford, MA, before graduating in 1944. Soon afterward he was serving in the Army in Europe during World War II, earning a variety of medals and citations. Returning home he attended Emerson College in Boston, graduating with a BA. It’s also where he met Helen McDonald. They married after college, eventually settling in Lexington, MA, where they lived in the same home for nearly 70 years. McNamara retired from the John Hancock Life Insurance Company in 1985. He was active at St. Brigid Catholic Church in Lexington, serving as a lector for 28 years.

Left to celebrate the memories of his wonderful life are Helen, and his two children Martha Hefner (James) of Chapel Hill, NC and Gerard McNamara (Carol) of Mills River, NC. He will be dearly missed by his seven grandchildren: Julia, Robert, Diana, Russell, Martin, Joseph and Kathleen; seven great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, August 18 at 10am at Newman Catholic Student Center Parish, Chapel Hill, NC with private interment following.

Memorials may be made to: St. Brigid Catholic Church — Compassion Fund, 1981 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington, MA 02421

The McNamara family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service. Online condolences: www.hallwynne.com — select obituaries.