George D. McNamara, 92 passed away on Friday, May 5, 2017 at his home in Kearny, NJ.

The funeral will be from the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. A funeral mass will be offered in St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny at 10:30 a.m. Cremation will be private. Relatives and friends are invited to visit at the funeral home on Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.

Mr. McNamara was born in Kearny and was a lifelong resident.

He left Kearny for the first time as a junior at Kearny High School in January of 1942 to serve in the U.S. Navy. World War II was just a month old.

After being honorably discharged, George returned to Kearny and went to work for Otis Elevator Company in Harrison, NJ. He later accepted a job for the Kearny Shade Tree Department and had found his life’s work.  George became a Certified Tree Expert and was Superintendent of the Department before retiring after 35 years. He was affectionately known around town as “The Tree Guy.”   

George had a strong religious faith and gave back as he volunteered as a coach, mentor and role model for many kids at the Sacred Heart Orphanage and Boys Town in Kearny during the 1960s and 70s.  As a parishioner at St. Stephen’s Church in Kearny and a member of the West Hudson Retreat Group, he participated in many retreats at the Loyola Retreat House in Morristown, NJ.

Mr. McNamara is survived by his wife, Margaret A. (nee Greiss) McNamara ; four children, Ellen Jennings, George J., Joseph P. and Michael P. McNamara;  He was the brother of Jean Flanagan and James and John McNamara and the grandfather  of Jackie, Jazmin, Gabriel, Patrick and Ryan.

He was predeceased by his brother David McNamara.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions to St. Joseph’s Indian School P.O. Box 300 Chamberlain SD 57325. stjo.org\dreams.

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