James C. McNamara

James McNamara, a vibrant, loving, and unforgettable presence passed away on April 18, 2025 at the age of 80. He lived life out loud—with humor, heart, and a deep love for the people around him. To know him was to be truly seen, heard, and loved.

Born on March 7, 1945 to James and Lyla McNamara in Waco, Texas, he grew up in Westmont, NJ and graduated from Collingswood High School. He proudly served his country in the Vietnam war and carried the strength, grit, and loyalty of a veteran in everything he did. He embarked on a rewarding career in insurance and risk management, and was proud of his work with his team as Risk Manager for Aramark in Philadelphia. He loved working with his colleagues and made lifelong friends in and out of the office along the way.

James, or Mac to many, consistently made the ordinary seem extraordinary. He had a way of turning a simple conversation into something you carried with you. When talking with him, he made you feel like you were the most important person in the world. He saw people clearly and loved them fiercely.

The center of Mac's world was always the people he loved, especially the love of his life, Marie. Married in 1969, together they built a family life rooted in deep and enduring love that lives on today. He was a devoted father to Kristen (Mark), Stephen (Jamie), and Collin (Fiorella), and a proud, playful, deeply loving Pop to Matthew, Shawn, Molly, Brynn, Kenzie, Hendrix, and Lucciana. His family was his pride and joy, and he never missed a moment to remind them how much they meant to him. Anything could happen when Mac was steering the ship--his plans may have seemed chaotic and spontaneous, but he was an easy man to to follow, and we all loved to play along!

James (called the Legend in his closest circles) cherished watching his beloved Birds' games with his brothers, and he was elated to celebrate the Eagles' superbowl runs with his family, young and old! Tuning into the Birds, Phils, Sixers and Flyers with his family and a great spread surrounding him brought the utmost joy (and a bit of agitation of course!).

James was a beloved brother to Michael (Sue), Rosemary (John), David (Tammy), and Kevin (Liz). He was loved by Marie's siblings Marge, Janet (Leon), Barbara (Ernie), Greg (Carol) Joe, and a treasured uncle to many nieces and nephews who he loved to entertain along with the rest of us with wild tales of mystical happenings, exciting adventures, and lots of silly jokes. He always cherished his very special relationship with his late mother-in-law, Marie Ostock. James will be deeply missed by so many, we loved him dearly.

A visitation will be held at Blake Doyle Funeral Home on Friday, April 25th from 9 am to Noon, followed by a brief memorial service at noon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.