Shrewsbury – Dick McNamara, of Shrewsbury, died at home Wednesday morning, March 18, 2015 after a long and valiant effort to beat cancer. He was 71.
Born Sept. 11, 1943 in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, he was a son of the late Edward G. and Mary (Doherty) McNamara. He graduated from Westborough High School and Worcester Junior College, and attended Midwestern University and Central New England College.
In addition to his wife of 47 years, Ginny (McCurnin) McNamara, he leaves his sons, James R. McNamara of Marlborough and Kevin M. McNamara and his wife Aki of Singapore; his granddaughter, Samantha; his siblings, Judy Russell and her husband Gerry of Defuniak, Fla., Edward “Ted” McNamara and his husban, Dennis Moorhead of St. Louis, Mo., John McNamara and his wife Valerie of Nokomis, Fla., and Maura Alves and her husband Richard of Milford; his brothers-in-law, John McCurnin and his wife Carol of Fairfax, Va., and Donald McCurnin and his wife Patricia of San Antonio, Texas; and his sister-in-law, Mary Taris and her husband Thomas, of Peoria, Ariz. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins, including Lisa Ettorre and her husband Robert of Doylestown, Penn. and Charles Callaghan and his wife Debbie of Doylestown, Penn.
Dick’s work history included Worcester Controls Corporation, Titanium Ball Valve Company (TBV), and Rockwood Swendeman. He retired from Burkert Fluid Control Systems, as Burkert’s Cryogenic Segment Manager. Professionally, he was a member of the I.S. P. E (International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers) and the CGA (Compressed Gas Society).
To those who knew Dick, he was a quiet, balanced, and kind-hearted man, but also a highly competitive and focused individual. These qualities, coupled with effective interpersonal skills (often accented with a wry and compelling sense of humor), served to provide him the foundation for many close and enduring relationships, both professionally and socially. The relationships and friendships that developed throughout his years of work in cryogenics and the valve industry are what he treasured most.
When not responding to professional needs, Dick enjoyed family gatherings at Cape Cod, Vermont, London, and Avalon, N.J. While raising his sons, he was active in Shrewsbury’s youth baseball and soccer programs, church league basketball, and Cub and Boy Scouts. He was on the Board of Shrewsbury Youth Baseball for 13 years, serving as President for five years. During his tenure, the Shrewsbury National League and American League merged to become Shrewsbury Youth Baseball.
Dick was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, Adelphi Council #4181, and St. Mary’s in Shrewsbury, serving on the Pastoral Council at one time. He kept active through skiing, boating, kayaking and especially golf, having scored two holes in one.
Over the last few years, Dick was treated by the wonderful and competent staff at Dana Farber in Milford, particularly Dr. Michael Constantine, and the Infusion Suite nurses. The care and treatment he received afforded him many more years of time with family and friends.
The family also expresses the utmost appreciation to Dr. Morris Milman, PCP at UMass Medical for his ongoing care and support, Drs.Amanpreet Buttar and Venu Bathini and the former Levine Infusion Suite, the UMass oncology group involved in his original diagnosis/treatment, the Jewish Healthcare Bridge and Hospice Care team for their incredible care and support to Dick and his family, and UMass Memorial Medical Blood Donor Center, 55 Lake St., Worcester. Please consider a donation of blood in his memory.
Family and friends will honor and remember Dick’s life by gathering for calling hours Tuesday, March 24, from 5-8 p.m., at Heald & Chiampa Funeral Directors ~ The Sumner House, 5 Church Road, On the Common, Shrewsbury Center, and again Wednesday morning, March 25, at 9 a.m., before leaving in procession to Saint Mary’s Church, 640 Main St., Shrewsbury, where his funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Mountain View Cemetery.
Memorials in Dick’s name may be made to St. Mary’s Church, Capital Campaign, 18 Summer St., Shrewsbury, MA 01545 or the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Milford, c/o Milford Regional Healthcare Foundation, 14 Prospect St., Milford, MA 01757.
