Faith McNamara, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and Emergency Department nurse, passed away at home on August 10th, 2023 after a courageous battle with cancer. She spent her last days surrounded by friends and family.
Faith was born to LeRoy and Arnette Lowman on the day after Christmas in 1958 and was the baby of a large family. Arnette quickly decided that Faith had the dancing gene and enrolled her in dance classes at the age of 3. She danced and taught dance for more than 25 years.
She attended Ottawa Township High School where she was a cheerleader and ended up falling for the star basketball player, Dan (a cheerleader and the basketball player-what a cliche!). They started dating in September of 1974, started going steady in February of 1975, and then, to everyone’s surprise, she said yes when Dan asked her to marry him. They married on May 19th, 1979, and were faithfully by each other’s side for 44 years, 2 months, and 22 days. They had three children, Matthew, Jacob, and Meghan.
Once all the children were born, Faith followed her calling to become a nurse. She went back to school at night, worked during the day, and raised three children all at once-no easy feat. Upon graduation, she took a job at what was then known as Community Hospital of Ottawa (now St. Elizabeth). She worked on the Medical/Surgical floor for a short time before knowing that she needed the fast-paced environment of the Emergency Department. She worked in the St. Elizabeth ED for over 25 years. She may have cared for you or a member of your family. Faith was the perfect combination for an ED nurse of extremely loving, comforting, and supportive, while also taking no nonsense. The number of lives she cared for, impacted, saved, and worked with during some of the most stressful moments of the patient’s lives can not be counted.
Faith loved Jesus with all her heart. She was an active member of Praise Center Assembly of God church. In her many years at the church, she taught Sunday School classes, worked with the youth group, and participated with the praise and worship team. Faith was often seen in the back of the sanctuary on Sunday mornings with her long-time friend and partner in crime, Sandy, giggling and generally causing a ruckus.
She loved and was loved deeply.
She was preceded in death by her father, LeRoy, and her mother, Arnette. She is survived by her husband Dan, her children, Matthew (Michelle), Jacob (Andrea), and Meghan along with the light of her life, her grandchildren, Matthew, Max, Molly, Nora, Tessa, and Emmett.
And, in a stroke of grace, she went to heaven after having a last meal of Bianchi’s pizza and while her beloved Chicago Cubs were on a hot streak.
All services will be held at Praise Center Assembly of God, 3040 E 18th Rd, Ottawa, IL, 61350. Visitation will be Friday, August 18th from 4-6:30pm. Funeral Service will be at 11am on Saturday, August 19th. A meal will be provided at the church after the service.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a memorial fund that will be given to the St. Elizabeth Medical Center’s Emergency Department-Faith’s home away from home. Donations will be accepted at the services and there is also a GoFundMe set up under Faith’s name.
Faith will be buried at Oakwood Memorial Park in Ottawa after a small, family graveside service.
Faith has been laid to rest in the Garden of Prayer at Oakwood Memorial Park.
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