James Jospeh Mcnamee

James Joseph McNamee, 84, of Fairbanks, Alaska and formerly of La Grande died March 31, 2006. At his request there will no services.

Mr. McNamee was born in La Grande and graduated from high school in Seattle and from the University of Washington. He served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. He returned to La Grande and lived near his mother, Leona Newlin Leffel and his step-father, Homer Leffel. He moved to Fairbanks in 1953 where he worked for his uncle, C.J. Newlil, who owned the Co-Op Drug Sore. He later worked for the John Butrovich Insurance Co., which became Corroon & Black Dawson Insurance. He was appointed director of insurance for the state of Alaska and also served on the state liquor board. He was a member of the Eagles Lodge in Fairbanks and retained his membership in the Elks Lodge 433 in La Grande.

Survivors include his wife, Lorna; children and their spouses, Michael and Marie McNamee, Terry McNamee, Jeanne and Michael Bates; five grandchildren; sister, Mary Domenichini, Lorna Waltz and Janet Tippett and a brother, John Leffel.