BEVERLY (BEV) ROSE MCNAMARA

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BEVERLY (BEV) ROSE MCNAMARA

Beverly (Bev) Rose McNamara died after a long illness on Saturday, June 1, 2019, in Mesquite, Texas, near her daughter Ann Cuddy, where she had moved the last year of her life with her loving husband Julian Kanfer.
Bev was a beautiful person with great intelligence. She had a welcoming, friendly spirit, a ready laugh, a penchant for jokes and pranks, and extremely sharp hearing - she could hear a whispered conversation from across the room. She brought care, precision and excellence to everything she undertook, from managing a household, to running a small business, to always remembering the birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions of loved ones with cards, gifts and calls. She loved her children, Edward (Libby), Alison, Jonathan and Ann (Blair); and especially doted on her grandchildren, Jessica, Declan and Campbell Rose; as well as her step-grandchildren, Addison, Slaten and Cresa.
Beverly was born February 28, 1933, in Salisbury, Maryland. She graduated from Wicomico ("Wi-Hi") High School in 1950 (where she was remembered for her "intelligence") and undertook two years of college before moving to Baltimore to work at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1952, where she was a lab technician in the Respiratory Physiology Clinical and Research Unit. Bev loved living in Baltimore and working in the lab and it was her stellar work there that brought her to the attention of Dr. Reuben Cherniack, who recruited Bev to set up the first pulmonary physiology lab at Winnipeg General Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She continued to live in Winnipeg developing a wide circle of friends, marrying her late husband Dr. Thomas Edward (Ted) Cuddy, in 1956, and raising her four children. Before leaving medicine, she worked in Tulsa, Oklahoma on one of the first open heart surgery teams.
At the age of three, Bev suffered a loss when her beloved mother Mary died. She was raised with warmth and love by two strong and independent women, her grandmother ("Mom") who ran the household and her Aunt Edna, who owned a women's clothing store in Salisbury. They shaped Bev's life, imparting their domestic and business skills and giving her and her brother a sense of stability.
Bev was a fabulous cook with the flair of a gourmand, who made even simple meals feel special and full of love. She made endless batches of her delicious "cowboy cookies" and chocolate pound cake as gifts and passed along these recipes and many more to family members and friends. She was a consummate hostess who entertained frequently and threw fun, lively parties. She loved clothes and had thoughtful, cutting-edge style. Well into her 80s, she was able to recall in exact detail outfits she had worn from her childhood on. In the late 1970s, Bev eagerly went back to work outside her home, as a bookkeeper, accountant and office manager. With Julian, she opened her own store B + J Collectibles, dedicated to vintage jewelry and accessories, particularly of the art deco period she loved so much. Bev and Julian had a long, loving and happy marriage, involving much entertaining and international travel, including sabbatical years in Paris, France and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Paris was a touchstone of their time together; a city they returned to and remembered often. Bev was a self-proclaimed "beach bum," who recalled fondly her childhood trips to the beach and boardwalk of Ocean City, Maryland. She eventually retired with Julian to an oceanside condo in Ormond Beach, Florida, where they lived until 2018. Her carefree, fun spirit and kind heart will be missed always by those who knew and loved her.
Bev was predeceased by her parents, Mary McNamara (nee Campbell) and Allison Christopher McNamara; and her stepmother Sadie McNamara. In addition to her husband, children and grandchildren, she is survived by her dear brother Edward McNamara; sister Gloria Jean Dill; niece Shannon Banks (Mark); and cousin Marsha McNamara.
Bev's family extends heartfelt thanks to the nurses, caregivers and other staff at Christian Care Senior Living Community.
A memorial for friends and family will be held later in Dallas, Texas, details to follow.
For those who wish to remember Bev, in lieu of flowers, a donation in her name may be made to the Winnipeg Humane Society.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 04, 2019