Patrick Joseph McNally was born in Washington, D.C. on August 10,1954 and died at home from natural causes on September 9, 2024 in Austin, TX., one month after celebrating his 70th birthday.
Pat often proclaimed he’d won the jackpot when it came to FAMILY. He was the third son in three years of John Joseph and Maura Flanagan McNally of Greenwich Village, N.Y. and Sligo, Ireland respectively, who preceded him in death. Pat and brothers John and Brendan share five younger siblings, Melissa Gray, Eileen McNally, Marcellina Kampa, Lily Hogan and Owen; a tight-knit family of ten with cousins abounding from coast to coast and throughout Ireland.
In Pat’s own words, his childhood was idyllic. He spent a decade scouting and exploring the outdoor splendors of Seattle, WA., before his dad’s return to FTC headquarters as a government attorney. The family settled just inside The Beltway in Bethesda, MD., where a deep bench of lifelong friends enveloped and enriched them along Singleton Drive and the St Jane De Chantal Catholic community. Pat’s best pals were Jimmy, Mike, Pete and John.
A decade later, the family was uprooted to uncharted territory: Dallas. Pat, a graduate from the Harry Lundberg School of Seamanship in Piney Point, MD., followed the tradition of his father and grandfather by joining the US Armed Forces. He enlisted in the US Army, stationed at Fort Hood and with the Ground Surveillance Radar Division Battlefield Intelligence in Wildflecken, Germany near the Czech Republic border.
His friends and family will fondly recall his impish smile and sheer delight in life’s simplest pleasures, like playing for us his favorite tunes, rooting for the Longhorns and Cowboys at Matt’s El Rancho, discussing current events, and sharing stock tips. He was a good tipper. He loved telling quirky stories and making people laugh. He subtlety showed massive strength in his multi-decade long sobriety. He will be sorely missed at family holiday dinners where he routinely jumped up to wash the dishes. Pat’s siblings knew him as an ox; he’d walk up the slantiest of hills on a summer day. He still worked out at Golds Gym and still worked a part-time job.
Pat regularly phoned his siblings. He stayed in touch. He preferred one on ones and non-virtual communications. Uncle Pat relished meeting up to play pool, practice chess and exchange playlists with his six nieces and six nephews from the Gray (Megan, Meredith, Erin and James), Jones (Dylan and Rory), Kampa (Derek and Maura), Pitzer (Reilly), Hogan (Nick and Elizabeth) and McNally (Kathleen) families. He was a Grand Uncle ten times. His niece Maura Rose Kampa preceded him in death by ten years as did his brother-in-law Walt Gray by seven years. He is survived by his seven siblings, sister-in-law Katerina McNally and brothers-in-law Ken Jones, Greg Pitzer, David Kampa and David Hogan.
Growing up, Pat’s mother ensured her household gathered to say the rosary every night, attributing their shared ritual to the family’s many blessings.
Fr. Patrick Olaleye will preside over Pat’s 1:00PM Funeral Mass at the North Chapel at Calvary Hill and 2:00PM graveside interment at Calvary Hill Cemetery, 3235 Lombardy Lane Dallas, TX. 75220 on Friday, December 27, 2024.