Mary K McNamara

Mary Kathleen Cruise McNamara of Orangeburg, NY, passed away on March 19, 2022. Daughter of the late William and Margaret (Glynn) Cruise, Mary was born in Roscommon, Ireland on December 17, 1941. At nine years old, she immigrated to the United States and was raised by her adored Uncle John and Aunt Bea Killeen.

She married Thomas McNamara on November 24, 1962.

She is survived by her devoted sons, Thomas and wife Kerry McNamara and John and wife Margaret McNamara.

Grandma Mac will be deeply missed by her beloved grandchildren Thomas, Ryan and wife Emily, Shane, Kaitlyn and fiancé Robert Ottaviano, Alison, and Alexandra McNamara. They will miss her sage advice, unwavering integrity, delicious Irish soda bread, fondness of her “granddoggies,” and unconditional love. She instilled in them a value for Irish culture and family harmony.

Predeceased by her son Michael, husband Thomas, brother Michael and sister Bridget Teresa, she is survived by brothers Joseph and wife Mary (deceased) Cruise, Thomas and partner Christine Cruise, and Peter and Elaine Cruise, and sisters Helen and husband Sean Vaughan and Rose Flaherty, as well as her cherished nieces and nephews.

She is also remembered by her beloved husband’s family Margaret and husband Patrick (deceased) Fleming, Frances (deceased) and husband Patrick Hickey, Bridie and husband Neilly Kelly (deceased), Michael and wife Marion McNamara, Molly and husband Connie (deceased) Regan, and dear nieces and nephews.

Mary worked at Lehn & Fink, St. Dominic’s Home, and later Dominican College Sullivan Library.

Mary was a devoted wife, beloved mother and grandmother, and gracious friend. A terrific Irish dancer, Mary loved to dance with friends first at the Emerald Society Irish Dances in Manhattan, the Irish Set Dance Weekends, and Irish Arts Week in the Catskills and later at the Irish Cultural Center in Blauvelt, NY. Mary attended St. Jean Baptiste High School in Manhattan. She will be remembered for her elegance, strength, pious faith, and kindness and will be deeply missed by all whose lives she touched.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:15 AM on Tuesday, March 22, at St. Catharine’s Church in Blauvelt, NY. Burial will follow at St. Anthony’s Cemetery in Nanuet, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hemotology Oncology Center at Nyack Hospital/Nyack Montefiore Foundation www.montefiorenyackfoundation.org/donate/ , 160 N Midland Ave, Nyack, NY 10960 in memory of Mary Cruise McNamara.

To view the funeral online got to http://www.saintcatharines.org/site/index.html . Click live stream now and press play.  

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