Dorothea Butler Macnamara

Dorothea (Dot) Butler Macnamara was born in Valdosta Georgia on July 25, 1918 to Benjamin Shave Butler and Camille Morrison Butler. Dot and her Sister moved to Kissimmee (Osceola County) in 1920 to be raised by their grandmother, Alma Tatman Morrison, after Dot's Mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Dot and her sister Katherine (Kay) lived and attended school in Kissimmee. During the summer months, they would take the steamboat Roseada from Kissimmee, through West Lake Toho, down the Kissimmee River to Shell Hammock, a parcel of land on the river purchased in 1901 by Dot's Grandfather George Bryan Tatman. Shell Hammock was a resting stop for the steamboats going from Kissimmee down to Lake Okeechobee and out to the Gulf of Mexico. The house on Shell Hammock was built c1881 by Charles Franklin McQuaig, an Orlando pioneer who ran tour boats down the Kissimmee River and cleared the winding river from stumps and logs creating safe passage for the steamboats.

Dot loved her summers at Shell Hammock and delighted in sharing her childhood memories of fishing in the river, her rides on the steamboat and numerous other adventures she experienced. One of her favorite memories was when the Roseada became grounded on a sandbar in the river at Kicco. All passengers, including the children, had to get out of the boat, into the cool water and help push the boat off the bar. Another memory of Dot's, as a young girl, was being allowed to sound the hom on the Roseada when approaching Shell Hammock to let her father know they had arrived.

Dot was a true Florida Cracker. She could prepare and cook the best swamp cabbage in Polk County and fry up a platter full of catfish she caught in the river. She hunted frequently and there wasn't a wild hog, deer, squirrel or turkey who could escape her rifle. She loved the environment and observing wildlife.

Dot graduated from Osceola High School in 1936 and attended the University of Tampa where she met her beloved husband of 60 years, Roger Hampton Macnamara. Roger was an accomplished athlete and a member of Coach Nash Higgins' historic and infamous RATHOLE GANG.

Roger & Dot lived in downtown Orlando for 50 years and in 1973 retired to Shell Hammock which has remained in the family for 114 years. Later in their retirement years they moved to Lake Howard Heights in Winter Haven where they resided for 12 years.

Dot was also retired from the Lake Wales Post Office. She was a Grand Dame of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a member of the Mayflower Society, an antique bottle collector,a licensed pilot and a founding member of the Orlando Grasshoppers flying club. She was also an associate member of the Ninety-Nines flying club founded by Amelia Earhart.

She was a longtime member of St. Luke's Cathedral Church in Orlando and an avid genealogist.

Dot was preceded in death by Roger Hampton Macnamara ( 2001) and is survived by her 3 children Martha Behrens, George Macnamara (Sue) and Pat Macnamara (Sandi). Five grandchildren Kristen Wilson Brooke Macnamara-Yackel, Stephanie Behrens, Nicole Behrens-Arndt and Ben Macnamara. Four great-grandchildren Kristen Williamson, Zac Behrens and Ty and Hera Wilson.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, May 2, 2015 1:00 PM at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home 454 Buck Moore Road, Lake Wales, Florida.

In leu of flowers donations can be made to the University of Tampa at their online donors or mailed to 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, Florida 33606 in honor of Dorothea Macnamara.