I was saddened to read of Leo's passing,  in Amateur Radio magazine, published by the Wireless Institute of Australia.  I worked in the Ionospheric Prediction Service in Sydney  from 1975 to 1985 as an electronic engineer. Although I didn't work closely with Leo, I always had the greatest respect for him as a scientist. Thanks to Roger Harrison for publishing Leo's obituary.
Keith Gooley, VK5OQ

Leo was a wondeful man, full of insight both scientifically and personally. He always took time to talk when I visited his office. I remember when he first came to AFRL at Hanscom as a contractor for Boston College. His specialty was high frequency (HF) propagation and at that time we were not very interested in HF.  Nevertheless, he was working on topics that we considered relevant which involved propagation from satellites to ground. Fast forward a few years to Albuquerque, NM where Leo had joined the lab as a government employee and suddenly HF was all anyone cared about. He shared publications, data, and taught me lesson after lesson about the strange world of HF.  At times he was frustrated by how little many of those around him knew about HF and no doubt he has forgotten more than most of us will ever know about the topic. But he was never arrogant or condescending and always helpful and ready to teach and encourage. 
He was not hugely into sports but sometimes we discussed American football (afterall, he had lived in Texas) and other sports and I would tease him about how cricket made baseball seem like a fast-paced game. Before he left Boston for Albuquerque he came to my office and delivered a modestly used cricket ball to remember him by, along with a little explanation about how the seams allowed the bowler to control the ball in exquisite ways. To this day I wonder  why he was in possession of a used cricket ball years after he had moved from Australia. Whatever the reason, I realize that just as one does in cricket, Leo was playing the long game. He followed his scientific interest and saw it swing from critical to out of favor and back to a priority in his lifetime, with a sense of grace and humor that I have not seen duplicated. I only wish that he was still here to talk and joke with, and of course to answer questions about HF propagation with unrivaled insight and experience. May he rest in peace.

So many happy memories with Leo and his wonderful family Would love to be in touch again with his family again 
 caz.livingston@gmail.com RIP  Leo x

When I was fresh in ionospheric science, Leo graciously took me under his wing and shared his wealth of knowledge with me, forever imprinting himself in how I view our area of research. He was kind and witty. I have and will continue to miss him. 

Leo was a radio scientist - an ionospheric scientist - who was in the premier league. His knowledge was deep, his expertise broad and he was a generous collaborator. However, above all I will remember his dry humour and his smile.  Rest in peace Leo, you will be sorely missed.

Leo taught me an enormous amount of ionospheric physics in the only 6 months that I worked with him in 1988 at Andrew Corp in Adelaide. 

However his teaching went on even after he left for the U.S. in 1989, as I inherited his work and modelling code, and realised that I was  trying to fill very big shoes! 

RIP Leo and I'm sure we'll meet again at a conference up in the Heaviside Layer. 

“You have played a major part in my history since the year I spent at Hanscom AFB 1982/83. After that we had the Sydney Conference in February 1985 and my move to Lowell in November 1985”. 

This is what Leo said in an email just a few months ago in response to my complaint that he retired from active research. Now with his passing, the ionospheric research and radio science community has lost a courageous voice in the endeavor to measure earth’s ionosphere. I am missing his critical advice, as well as his dry humor.
Leo, rest in peace.

Leo was a good man !  I knew Leo in Dallas, Tx - where we both taught science classes at a private high school- he the Physics teacher of course! Leo had a quick wit and was easy to talk to. I only wish I had longer to get to know him, however Jeanne has shared many memories so I got to know him a little better in that manner. He will be missed . 
Rest in Peace, Leo .

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Dr. Leo F. McNamara

11 novembre 1940 – 29 mars 2021

Phoenix Memorial Park & Mortuary

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