Mary Lou McNamara

Mary Lou McNamara, daughter of Harry Paul Brown and Katherine Louise Echenrode, passed away on Saturday, August 18. She was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1935 and grew up in Bexley where she graduated from St. Mary of the Springs High School. She was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority at The Ohio State University. Mary Lou was a delight to all who knew her, with sparkling blue eyes that lit up a room. She was known for her wonderful sense of humor and she loved sharing her wit with others, and especially loved entertaining. Mary Lou had a gift for decorating and gardening and she surrounded herself with vibrant colors, especially yellow. She loved theater and all kinds of music, including jazz, Frank Sinatra, and show tunes. She lived in Middletown and Columbus, but also in Chicago and Paris, France where she studied at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine and became an accomplished cook. She brought that cooking talent back to Columbus when she worked at Good Things, a cooking store. It was a store that Keith McNamara started frequenting after he met Mary Lou. They were happily married for 32 years.  Mary Lou was an active volunteer and gave generously of her time. She was a member of TWIG, the Little Garden Club of Columbus, and the Junior League. She worked at the Homeless Families Foundation and with Alzheimer’s patients at the Mother Angeline McCrory Manor where she was recognized as an excellent volunteer. She was a long time parishioner at St. Catharine Church. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Keith McNamara; brothers, Bill (Marilyn) Brown and John Brown. She is survived by her daughter, Katherine Louise Gage, and her son, George Robert (Soraya) Gage Jr. and three grandchildren, George, David, and Katherine. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Sandy Brown; nieces and nephews, Matt Brown, Barbara Brown, Debra Ann Brown (Jim) Parker, Scott Brown and David Brown.  Friends may call Tuesday from 4-7 p.m. at Egan-Ryan Funeral Home, 403 East Broad Street.  Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Catharine Church, 500 South Gould Road.  Burial to follow at Greenlawn Cemetery.  

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Lou McNamara, please visit our floral store.