Amherst, Brian McNamara, an Amherst resident since 1974, passed away at home on July 12, 2017 at the age of 72 after a two year illness. Brian was born in Staten Island, NY to Shirley and Leonard McNamara. Growing up the second oldest in a family of seven helped nurture his love of children that led to his career choice.  He enlisted in the Air Force after high school where his experiences influenced his view of the world and shaped his interest in justice and fairness for all. During his time in the service Brian became involved in the civil rights movement in Portsmouth, New Hampshire where he was stationed and worked to integrate the housing market.  He served in Vietnam in 1965-66 and then earned Bachelor and Master’s degrees at Wagner College on Staten Island. Brian met his wife, Judy, during those years and together they were actively involved in the anti-war movement of the late sixties. They also worked with parent groups and gave testimony in the Right to Treatment case in New York Federal Court that led to the closure of Willowbrook State School and many other state institutions housing children with developmental disabilities.

Brian and Judy moved to Amherst, MA in the summer of 1974 in hopes of finding a community that would support their love of teaching, offer a less stressful life style than NY City, and provide the cultural diversity and stimulation they desired. It was a lucky choice of town for Brian, and he found his life’s work teaching fifth and sixth graders at Wildwood School, a job he loved. He continues to have many “Old Friends” among the hundreds of students he taught in his thirty-two year career there. Brian’s love of life and abiding belief in the power of people’s everyday actions to change the world for the better informed his teaching.  His use of music in the classroom to teach language arts, history, and positive values contributed to the love he generated among his students. He had high standards for his own teaching and expected each student to have the same confidence and high standards for themselves. Similarly, his penchant for playing sports with his students at recess, eating lunch as a group in the classroom, building a sense of family among class members, and singing in annual sixth grade chorus shows endeared him to both students and parents. His annual fall ABC House fundraising hike with students, supporting a community program he valued, was only one of the many activities he engaged in that demonstrated his belief in the power of people to bring about change in the way the world works.

Brian and Judy enjoyed making their home and raising their two children, Kate and Evan, in Amherst. He loved family as he loved teaching.  He enjoyed chopping wood for fires in the wood stove, planting whimsical gardens, spending summer afternoons at Memorial Pool when the kids were younger, taking beach vacations at the Jersey Shore, making boogey boarding and sea glass hunting a family tradition, teaching and coaching Kate and Evan when they were young and then watching them develop into happy and successful adults. Evan’s recent engagement to Taylor Azarian brought him great pleasure, and he thought of her as his second daughter. His devotion to Judy’s parents, Mary and Joe Tarallo, during their end-of-life years in Amherst reflected his large heart and capacity for love.  Brian and Judy were best friends and enjoyed living their lives together. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, his children, his eight siblings and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Brian’s love of life and ability to bring humor and joy to everything he did will be missed by many.

 A private family burial will be held at Wildwood Cemetery where Brian wanted to be laid to rest and a celebration of his life will be held at a future date.  Donations in Brian’s memory can be made to A Better Chance House 74 North Prospect Street, Amherst, MA 01002 and VNA and Hospice of Cooley Dickinson Hospital, 168 Industrial Drive, Northampton, MA 01060.