Alice McNamara

Alice (Boyle) McNamara, 80, of Hendersonville, NC peacefully passed surrounded by family on Thursday, November 8, 2018. She was born on Sept. 2, 1938 in County Kerry, Ireland but spent most of her life in New York City, NY and Atlanta, GA, retiring later to the mountains of North Carolina. Alice was preceded in death by her parents, Patrick and Margaret (Ruddle) Boyle of County Kerry, 2 brothers and a sister. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Michael Joseph McNamara, and her son, Paul “Tank” McNamara and his wife Kathy of Canton, GA., Donna-Marie McNamara Clemons and her husband David of Atlanta, and Cathy McNamara Balken and her husband Joe of Hendersonville as well as 10 grandchildren, 1 great granddaughter, 1 brother, Tommy Boyle of Yonkers, NY; and sisters, Teresa Power and Nuala Nolan, both of County Kerry, Ireland, and Peggy Court of Surrey, England as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Alice received her secondary degree in County Kerry, Ireland, later working on Wall Street in New York where she met and married her husband Michael. She spent most of her life in Atlanta, GA as a homemaker and volunteering for her church and community. As a devout Roman Catholic, she was a parishioner of St. Andrews on the River in Roswell, GA and active in their Women’s Club. She was passionate about her Irish heritage as a member of the Hibernian Society in Atlanta, GA. She later became a parishioner at St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Arden, NC. Alice loved her church, her family, Irish dancing, music, “tea time” with friends, hiking, yoga and volunteering in the community. She enjoyed traveling the world with her husband and family. A private celebration of Alice’s life and funeral mass will be held for family on November 12, 2018 in Hendersonville, NC. In honor of Alice’s life and affinity for children and education, memorial donations may be made to Montana’s St. Labre Indian School at www.stlabre.org. Please write “in memory of Alice McNamara.” Cards can be sent to Michael J. McNamara, c/o Groce Funeral Home, 72 Long Shoals Rd., Arden, NC 28704.