Remembering Dr. James McNamara

Dr. James McNamara, Professor Emeritus in the College of Education and Human Development, passed away on August 31 at the age of 85. He was on faculty at Texas A&M University for nearly four decades before retiring in 2010.

Dr. McNamara held joint appointments in the Department of Educational Psychology and the Department of Statistics. In these roles, he gave guidance to many doctoral students on their dissertations and two of his students won national awards for best dissertations in their fields.

In 1990, Texas A&M recognized him with a Faculty Research Award and a Faculty Distinguished Teaching Award from The Association of Former Students in 1999. During his career, he demonstrated a dedication to excellence through awards, publications and presentations.

As an educational policy researcher, he appeared as an expert witness at the U.S. District Court (Houston, TX) and Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. He also delivered several invited research lectures to organizations such as the National Academy of School Executives and the Interamerican Congress of Psychology in Venezuela.

After serving in the U.S. Army, he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Saint Joseph’s University, a master’s in mathematics and a doctorate in educational administration from Penn State University.

His legacy lives on in his wife of 59 years, Maryanne, as well as his children, grandchildren, students, colleagues, and friends.

A burial service at the Aggie Field of Honor Cemetery will take place in early December. Donations in memory of Dr. McNamara can be made to the Aggieland Humane Society and Hospice Brazos Valley.