Obituary: Matthew John McNamara

Matthew John McNamara, 53, of 281 Hamilton Ave., Norwich, formerly of New London, died at his home Tuesday, July 3, from complications of multiple sclerosis.

He was born Oct. 17, 1958, one of nine children, to Jacqueline J. (Tetrault) McNamara and the late Richard Irving McNamara.

He lived for many years in New London and attended the former Preston Plains middle school in Preston as well as St. Bernard High School in Montville, graduating from there in 1976.

He worked at Electric Boat in Groton, was a unionized worker at the Millstone nuclear power plant  in Waterford and later worked as a chef for many years at restaurants in Connecticut and Florida.

He was an avid guitarist who loved and played a wide-variety of music. He had an excellent singing voice and one of his greatest joys was gathering with his family, playing guitar and singing.

He loved the New York Yankees and had a playful rivalry with his mother, who loves the Boston Red Sox.

Besides his mother, he is survived by his eight siblings, Cheryl Santia-Verrastro and her husband, Frank Verrastro, of McLean, Va.; Maureen McNamara-Smith, of Willington, Ct.; Richard Irving McNamara Jr., and his wife, Joan M. McNamara, of Atlanta, Ga.; Daniel J. McNamara and his wife, Patricia McNamara, of Glastonbury, Ct.; Kathleen A. McNamara, of Preston, Ct.; Eileen M. McNamara and her husband, Thomas Seddon, of East Hampton, Ct.; John P. McNamara and his companion, Cathy McNamara, of North Stonington; and Timothy E. McNamara, of Sarasota, Fla. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life for Matthew will be held Saturday, Aug. 4, at 1 p.m., at the Mystic Funeral Home, Route 1, Mystic.