Joseph William McNamee

Joseph William McNamee, 68, of Cambria passed away Saturday, Dec. 6, 2003, at his home.

A memorial service will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2003, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 460 Park Ave. in Cayucos.

Joe was a pioneer Nevadan whose family has been intimately involved with the development of Southern Nevada and Las Vegas. A third generation Las Vegan, Joe was the youngest and final member of the seven children of Fran and Leo McNamee.

As a young boy growing up in Las Vegas, Joe and his family were part of this small town community when less than 5,000 people lived here. Their family home in downtown was a popular stop for friends and visitors. Joe became valedictorian when attending boarding school at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose. he attended Loyola University in Los Angeles and married his high school sweetheart, Carol Morici in 1957.

Joe received his law degree from American University in Washington D.C. and then followed his grandfather, father and brother into the family law practice McNamee, McNamee and Rittenhouse, the first law firm established in Las Vegas. He also served the Las Vegas community as state assemblyman, judge and fierce gin rummy contender at the Hualapai Club. As a dedicated member of the Rotary Club, he served on numerous committees and spent many hours sharing his wit and wisdom to serve and better their causes. Many people, including Joe sometimes, thought he served as Rotary president, but in fact, this is a myth.

As a real estate developer he contributed his creativity to projects as diverse as apartments and bowling alleys to a Las Vegas strip hotel. In recent years, his final legacy remains the finest wedding and event center in Las Vegas, the Grove at Silk Purse Ranch.

Joe was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.



Joe is survived by his wife Megg; four daughters, Maureen, Marian, Eileen and Terese; seven grandchildren, the pride of his life; as well as his sister-in-law Anne Rittenhouse McNamee.