Veronica (Parker) McNamee

Our sweet mom, Veronica (Parker) McNamee, passed away August 4, 2025, surrounded by family. She was born to Edward and Veronica Parker, April 29, 1930, in Akron, Ohio. She grew up in the Great Depression, saved wrapping paper and bows, decorated her home with beautiful garage sale “treasures”, and knew how to make an eight-dollar thrift store dress look classy. As a young working woman, she saved her money with one goal in mind: a watermelon pink VW Bug. In it, she and her girlfriends took weekend trips and generally painted the town pink. After turning down numerous marriage offers, a tall, handsome man from New York caught her eye at a church dance. She couldn’t understand a word he said in his thick Bronx accent, but she eventually learned the dialect and married Jim McNamee on May 18, 1957.

The early years of marriage found them adding three children and moving many times throughout the Northeast, finally settling in Arden Hills, Minnesota in 1962. Always up for adventure, Veronica recalled this time of frequent moves with three young children as "exciting.” After landing in Minnesota, and adding two more children, they soon settled beside Lake Johanna where Mom made the invisible household gears turn, and set the tone of light-hearted fun, laughter, and a little mischief. She played a mean game of tennis and could be found brisk-walking with her dear friend, Carolyn Mohn, discussing the problems of their worlds each morning, rain or shine, 95 degrees or 40 below. Up until her last two years of life, she still played ping pong and pickleball with fire in her eye.

In 1984 Veronica and Jim moved to Bellingham, Washington where they sailed the San Juan Islands, became members of Sacred Heart Parish, volunteered with St. Vincent de Paul, held their door open to many WWU students and others, and enjoyed the conversation and friendship of their long-time book group. During these years, Veronica’s weeks were punctuated by frequent visits with her kids and grandkids, volunteer work with Love INC, her writing group, and her diligent work in re-crafting the stories her dad told on her childhood front porch which she published as a gift to all of us – The Spitting Image.

Some might think Veronica lived a small life – she didn’t earn a fancy degree or win impressive awards – but in fact she lived an enormous life. Her life was profoundly impactful as she possessed the simple greatness of a lived faith that saw the often-invisible truth that each person is priceless, as they bear the image of God. Her life was defined by kindness, generosity, endless good humor, and a habit of seeing who was on the “outside” and bringing them in. She had a knack for listening deeply and for finding and treasuring the gems in everyone she met. Thanks to her warmth, our home was a hub of activity and a place of welcome that a number of our friends considered a second home. We, her five children, her 17 grandchildren, and her 11 great-grandchildren were the luckiest of all – we knew to our depths that she adored, delighted in each one of us, and with her our cups always overflowed.

Veronica was preceded in death by her husband of nearly sixty years, Jim McNamee, and great-grandson Jonathan. She is survived by her son Brendan and his wife Crystal (Carbondale, CO) and their kids, Hudson, Logan Fox (husband Nate), Lander; daughter Mary Gerstenkorn and her husband Ralph (Bellingham) and their kids, Ryan and Lindsey Anson (husband Ben and son Hayes); son Ed McNamee (Anacortes); daughter Annie Carlson and her husband Boone (Ferndale, WA) and their kids, Jake (wife, Allie, and kids Wyatt, Maeleigh, Remington, Camden), Pete (wife Rachel and kids Emmett, Warren, Cooper ), Hannah, Faith (kids, Angel, Sophia), Esther Dowty (Husband Bekele, son, Elijah), Ruth, Jessa, and Isaiah; daughter Patty Hansen and her husband Kevin (Kirkland) and their kids, Parker, Margaret, Haimanot, Sam; sister Isabelle; nephew Michael Bosak and niece Patty Reilly.

Special thanks to longtime devoted caregiver and granddaughter, Esther.

Mom, GG, we miss you every day. You brought joy and laughter and goodness to every room you entered.

Memorials in Veronica's name may be made to Lighthouse Mission Ministries, 1312 F. St., Bellingham, WA 98225. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, August 19, at 10:30 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1110 14th St., Bellingham, WA. A reception will follow at the Parish Hall.