Celia Mary McMenamim – Military Spouse

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Celia Mary McMenamin, wife of Brigadier General Joseph James McMenamin, who served as commanding general at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island for five years, died Saturday, July 16, 2005. Mrs. McMenamin died in New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina, after a 17-year battle with cancer.

“Marine Corps scholarship activities were near and dear to her heart,” said Daisy Kiley, a friend of the family and current secretary for Mr. McMenamin.

Kiley said Mrs. McMenamin had been involved with several scholarship programs, such as Parris Island Officers Spouse Club Scholarship Fund and Camp Lejeune Officers' Wives' Club Scholarships, where she served as adviser.

“She had a very long fight with cancer,” said Lucy Johnson, who met Mrs. McMenamin 10 years ago and whose husband is a general officer at Camp Lejeune, N.C. “She handled many difficulties with grace and was certainly a wonderful role model.”

Johnson said Mrs. McMenamin was also a preschool teacher until she was diagnosed with cancer.

“When (her youngest son James) played football for Battery Creek High School, she was very heavily involved as a team mom,” said Lynne Jacobs, former secretary for Mr. McMenamin. “She attended every game. They were very much a family, everything revolved around family.”

The family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. Saturday, with services to follow at 10:30 a.m. at Nativity of Our Lord Church, 625 W. Street Road, Warminster, Pa.

Burial will follow at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

Mrs. McMenamin was born in Philadelphia, Pensylvania, the daughter of Mary Korber and the late James Gallagher.

Survivors include her husband of 31 years; two sons, First Lieutenant Joseph James McMenamin, USMC and Midshipman 2/C James Patrick McMenamin, United States naval Academy, a brother, Dr. Michael Gallagher; and two sisters, Cathy Marri and Mary Beth Creveling.

Memorials may be made to the Parris Island Officers Spouse Club Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 5134, Parris Island, SC 29905 and/or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 102454, Atlanta, Georgia 30368.

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment

error: