Francis Patrick McNamara

Francis (Frank) Patrick McNamara, 91, of Missoula, formerly of Anamosa, Iowa, died Thursday, March 16, 2017. Funeral services will be held Friday, March 24, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Anamosa, Iowa. Internment will be at the Holy Cross Cemetery with military honors provided by the Anamosa post of the American Legion.

Frank was born December 1, 1925, in Anamosa, Iowa, to Thomas E. and Rose (Fagan) McNamara and graduated from Anamosa High School with the class of 1943. He then served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1946. During that time towards the end of the war, Frank was one of the few Americans to serve in both Europe and Japan.

On November 17, 1948, he was married to Mary Lou Finn at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Anamosa; Mary Lou died November 16, 2007. Frank was employed at McNamara Shoe Store, at McNamara Plumbing and Heating as a bookkeeper, and for eighteen years at the Anamosa Penitentiary, until his retirement in 1996. He was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion. From 2008 until his death, he resided near family in Missoula.

He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, and a sister and brother-in-law, Patricia and Lowell Smothers.
Sign up to get each day's obituaries sent to your email inbox

Survivors are his three sons, Dennis (Carole) McNamara, Ann Arbor, Michigan and their sons David (Krista) and Andrew; Rick (Kate) McNamara, Grand Rapids, Michigan and their sons Jeremiah and Travis; and Steven (Jodie) McNamara, Missoula and their children Abigail, Hannah and Kellan. Also surviving are two brothers, Loras (Nadine) McNamara and Cletus (Ole) McNamara, both of Anamosa, Iowa and several nieces and nephews.

Living in Missoula was an unexpected chapter in Franks life. He lived across the street from his son Steven and daughter-in-law Jodie. He was able to see their three children grow up and leave the nest; he also became a Montana Grizzly, following the basketball and football teams. He enlivened many holiday dinners with stories from “the old days.” He attended Francis Xavier Catholic church; after he was no longer able to get to church, he was visited regularly by Dianne Szekely, who brought the church to him on her almost daily visits. A special note of thanks to her, and also to his homemaker Betty Cohenaur. She provided dad with so much more than a clean home and wonderful food; she also gave him friendship, love and some great automobile tours of Western Montana. Many thanks to all his health care providers here in Missoula; Frank brightened many peoples day with his small town “everybody is a friend” attitude. Thanks also to Partnership Hospice who helped us keep Frank in the comfort of his own home during the last days of his life.

Francis P. McNamara will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife of 59 years, Mary Lou McNamara. Eternal Joy shall surely follow.