Washington - Georgia "Kate" McNemar, 71, died April 16, 2005, at George Washington University Hospital from complications following heart surgery. For the past 35 years, she was a resident of Capitol Hill in the District of Columbia. She was a native of Portsmouth. She attended the Norfolk Division of William and Mary, now Old dominion University, and graduated from Wake Forest University, where she also received her law degree. She was the only child of Georgia Arlone Cartwright and John Holland McNemar.

Miss McNemar was initially active in politics in Charlotte, N.C., where she was elected as the first Republican magistrate in Mecklenburg County in modern times. She returned to Virginia, where she was active in Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign. She later worked on the staff of the Republican National Committee and in St. Louis, Mo., with political consultant Roy Pfautch. In 1969, she joined the United States Department of Justice as an attorney in the criminal division, where she stayed until her retirement 1992.

In addition to her professional career, Miss McNemar was active in amateur dramatics. She appeared in and directed a number of plays produced by theatrical groups throughout the city, including the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop and was an officer of the Eastern States Theater Association. At the time of her death, she was an active member of the Saturday Night Players, a play-reading group, and of the Washington Arts Club. She was also performing with "In Other Words," storytellers throughout the Washington area.

At one time, Miss McNemar was active in Toastmistress International. Though not a member, she participated in activities at Christ Church, Episcopal on Capitol Hill. She traveled widely to Africa, Thailand, the Galapagos and Europe and played tournament cribbage.

Miss McNemar is survived by the Cartwright, Holcomb and Davis families and a wide circle of friends, including Rosa Wiener, Penny Pendell and Hastings Wyman of Washington, D.C., and Whitney A. LeCompte of Portsmouth, Irma DeLauri of Chesapeake, Noreen Nocher of Virginia Beach, the Cradock Admirals Retired, the Newsome family and the Cleveland family.

A memorial service will be held Tuesday at Green Acres Presbyterian Church, Western Branch Boulevard at Sterling Point Drive, Portsmouth.

Memorial gifts may be made to Feline Hope, box 893, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 or to the charity of one's choice.