Mayor Scott Avedisian and Meg Underwood, director, Warwick Senior Services  will dedicate a bench in memory of Kathleen McNamee, on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Pilgrim Senior Center, 27 Pilgrim Parkway. McNamee was employed at Warwick Senior Services for 23 years and was director from 1997 through 2009.  

Members of McNamee’s family and many of her former colleagues will be in attendance. The event is open to the public.

Avedisian said, “I am very pleased to have the opportunity to honor the memory of Kathleen McNamee. She had the vision and leadership to implement a vast array of important services designed to empower our seniors to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. The innovative programs she implemented in our City have continued to serve as a model for other communities throughout the state to follow. Kathleen McNamee was a dedicated public servant who made an indelible mark upon Warwick. Her legacy will live on through her accomplishments and the many lives she touched.”

Underwood said, “Kathleen McNamee set the foundation for our success in delivering comprehensive, quality programs to ensure the well-being of our seniors. She set a positive example for all to emulate and was an inspiration for all those who advocate for a better quality of life for our seniors.”

McNamee served on Mayor Francis X. Flaherty’s Senior Center Building Committee and was instrumental in garnering support for the bond referendum to build Pilgrim Senior Center, which opened in 1990.  During her tenure as director of Warwick Senior Services, she expanded programs to include health and social services, providing a continuum of care for seniors. Due to McNamee’s efforts, Buttonwoods and Pilgrim Senior Centers received National Accreditation through the National Institute of Senior Centers. 

McNamee also established the Friends of Warwick Senior Centers, a non-profit agency, which helps fund the center and also enabled the centers to receive accreditation.