Phyllis Jean McNamara
1924-2024

Phyllis Jean (Huss) McNamara was born in 1924 to Caroline (Jaqua) Huss and William Roy Huss of Pasadena,  California.  William was a well known home builder in the Los Angeles area, while Caroline was a homemaker, part-time writer and avid gardener, who spent her days creating a loving home for her family. Son, William Huss, joined them in 1927.  They lived in a variety of Southern California locations including Van Nuys, Vista and Laguna Beach.

In the 1940's, Phyllis graduated from Pasadena City College and attended the University of Oregon.  Her studies were interrupted by war time and her marriage to United States Marine Corps fighter pilot Danny W Johnson of Seattle, Washington.  She eventually returned to college and was awarded her Bachelor's degree in Accounting from California State University, San Bernardino in the 1970's.

Phyllis and Danny were blessed with three daughters.  Wendee and Teena were born in 1947 and 1949 at the Camp Pendleton U.S. Naval Hospital in Oceanside, California, while Shawna was born in 1956 at the Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station in North Carolina.

In 1960, Phyllis and Danny built and settled into their dream home high on a hill overlooking the sea in South Laguna Beach, California.  In 1965, when Danny was transferred to the U.S. Naval Air Station, Norfolk, they temporarily relocated to Norfolk, Virginia.  After their marriage ended in divorce in 1966, Phyllis returned alone with their three daughters to the hillside dream home in Laguna Beach.

Over the next years, Phyllis worked as an accountant for various local Orange County businesses, and then became an auditor for the federal government with the Defense Contract Audit Agency--where she once helped to save America over $1 million dollars on a Defense Department contract.

She eventually met and married John C. McNamara, Attorney at Law.  They continued living in the Laguna Beach home and spent the next years working in their garden and spending time with their children and grandchildren until his death in 2001.

Phyllis remained in the hillside home, working in her garden and visiting with her family and great-grandchildren, until declining health forced her to move to a single-story home in Laguna Niguel in 2017.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, uncles, aunts and cousins.  She outlived her two husbands, her stepdaughter Lynn Ford, her brother Bill Huss, his wife Penny (Carolyn), and niece Carolyn.

She is greatly missed by her daughters, Wendee (Johnson) Streeter, Teena (Johnson) Seckler, and Shawna Johnson.  She is also survived by her son-in-law Wesley Seckler, grandchildren Stacee Streeter, Matt and Robin Seckler, and great-grandchildren Cavin, Owen, and Lincoln, Chloe and Sydney Seckler.  Other family missing her include stepson, Mike Anderson, and step-grandchildren, Ryan and Teal Berkowitz, as well as her nieces Sandra Hope, Diana Huss, and Ethel Moore.

Phyllis lived a very long and happy life filled with adventure, travel and love throughout her 99-1/2 years.  She was a strong, pragmatic and efficient woman, who--although she was often perplexed by the fanciful notions of her children and grandchildren--was always their greatest champion.  She is and will always be missed forever.
Love you, Mom!  Love you, Grandma!