Arlene Ann Miles McNamara

FARMINGTON – Arlene Ann Miles McNamara of Farmington passed away surrounded by her loving family on March 10, 2023 at the age of 86 years. She was born in St. Louis on February 25, 1937 to the late Ira Hampton Miles and Dorothy Lucille (Zurbriggen) Miles. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband James Barry McNamara Sr. and a sister, Virginia Komm.
Arlene was raised in the City of St. Louis in the neighborhood near Crown Candy Kitchen. She attended the all-girls Catholic high school Ursuline Academy in St. Louis County on an academic scholarship, riding city buses to and from school each day while doing her homework on the bus. She graduated in 1955. She said that her ambition in life was always to become a wife and mother.
Arlene met her future husband Jim at a high school football game, and a north-city girl and a south-city boy fell in love. After Jim completed his two-year enlistment in the Army in Alaska, they were married in 1957 and settled in St. Louis. Their family grew to five children over the next 10 years, and while Jim worked as a lineman for Union Electric and went to night school at Washington University to become an electrical engineer, Arlene managed the home-front, becoming an expert in cooking, mending and sewing clothes, and determining when a child' s injury warranted a trip to the emergency room. Arlene and Jim always took the family on annual vacations and often planned many adventures for them.
In 1973, Jim and Arlene moved their family to Farmington and built their dream house in the country, which Arlene often said was one of the best decisions that the two ever made. They made many life-long friends, with whom they enjoyed traveling, playing bridge, and going out to dinner and dances. Arlene was also an active member of St. Joseph Church in Farmington, including lending her beautiful voice to the church choir and participating in numerous other activities. As her kids were getting older, Arlene decided to go back to work and began working in the accounting department at Wetterau (later becoming SuperValu) Non-Foods Division in Desloge. Arlene and Jim both retired in their mid-50s, and enjoyed their retirement years traveling extensively, both domestically and abroad, spending time with their children and grandchildren, and swimming in their pool. Arlene was an avid bridge and Scrabble player, she was a voracious reader, and she loved to dance and sing.
Since Jim's sudden death in 2005, Arlene remained in their dream home, where she died in her sleep. While Arlene was on hospice these last several months, she often asked her children to do the impossible. She would say, "Don't be sad when I am gone. I have no regrets, and I have lived a life way beyond the wildest dreams that I ever had as a child." She lived a life of gratitude. She loved her family and friends, and she truly felt that she lived a blessed life... as did many who felt blessed to have known her.
Survivors include her children, James B. McNamara, Jr., Theresa (Jack) Ashby, Michael P. McNamara, Brian (Ann) McNamara and Elaine (Michael Miller) McNamara; nine grandchildren, James B. (Jessie) McNamara, III, Joseph McNamara, Joshua McNamara, Ann (Stan) Maxson, Patrick (Kaitlin) Ashby, John McNamara, Michael McNamara, Ethan Guillot and Miles Guillot; eight great grandchildren; two sisters, Marilyn (Richard) Rogers and Delores (Mel) Arrington and a host of nieces, nephews and extended family.
Visitation will be held at Cozean Memorial Chapel on Thursday, March 16, 2023 from 5 – 8 p.m. Visitation will resume on Friday morning from 7:30 to 9:30 at Cozean Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow beginning at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Father William Thess as Celebrant. Interment will take place immediately following the service at New Calvary Cemetery. Memorials, if desired, may be made to St. Vincent De Paul Society at St. Joseph Church in Farmington in Arlene's name. View the tribute video and share your condolences at cozeanfuneralhome.com.