Obituary for John F. MacGowan
John F. MacGowan of Springfield, Missouri passed away at home on Thursday, January 17, 2019, at the age of 82.
John was born April 23, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of James F. and Harriet Simpson MacGowan. He was reared in Baldwin, Long Island, and the family moved in 1953 to Forsyth, Missouri, where he graduated Forsyth High School in 1954. He attended Missouri State University and Drury University, where he met and married Carol Arnot in 1957.
In addition to his wife Carol, he is survived by a daughter, Lisa Phoenix and her husband Steve, Springfield, Missouri; two sons, John F. MacGowan, Jr. and his wife Iris, and Jeff MacGowan and his wife Tabitha, Nixa, Missouri; three grandchildren, Emily Adams and her husband Elliot, Orlando, Florida, Katie Bettis and her husband Chris, Phoenix, Arizona, and Kane MacGowan, Nixa, Missouri; and one great-grandson, Henry Adams, Orlando, Florida.
John was a real estate broker in Springfield, Missouri for many years, where he actively participated in the Multilist Board and Springfield Board of Realtors, and was President of the Board in 1974. In 1977, he was recognized as Springfield’s Realtor of the Year. He served a term as Director of Missouri Real Estate Association. In 1974, he was honored to be recognized as one of Missouri’s outstanding businessmen in “Who’s Who in Missouri.” Throughout John’s life, he actively participated in his church and community, as a Sunday school teacher, youth group leader, Boy Scout leader, on the church camp operational board, in Jaycees, and in Southeast Rotary Club of Springfield.
John had a lifelong passion for automotives, both restoring and collecting older cars and also driving newer, fast ones. In the last few years, he found great enjoyment as a member of the Southwest Missouri Corvette Club. John also had a hobby for wooden ship building, creating detailed models. He had a love for the outdoors, whether playing golf, riding his tractor, or boating on the lake. There wasn’t a cat he didn’t nurture or bring home. He shared his passions with his children and grandchildren, treasured the time with his family, and relished a good joke.
A celebration of John’s life will be at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at Greenlawn South Funeral Home, with burial in Hazelwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1-2 pm, Wednesday in the funeral home.
The family requests memorial donations to Victory Mission or Community Hospices of America in lieu of flowers.
John was born April 23, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of James F. and Harriet Simpson MacGowan. He was reared in Baldwin, Long Island, and the family moved in 1953 to Forsyth, Missouri, where he graduated Forsyth High School in 1954. He attended Missouri State University and Drury University, where he met and married Carol Arnot in 1957.
In addition to his wife Carol, he is survived by a daughter, Lisa Phoenix and her husband Steve, Springfield, Missouri; two sons, John F. MacGowan, Jr. and his wife Iris, and Jeff MacGowan and his wife Tabitha, Nixa, Missouri; three grandchildren, Emily Adams and her husband Elliot, Orlando, Florida, Katie Bettis and her husband Chris, Phoenix, Arizona, and Kane MacGowan, Nixa, Missouri; and one great-grandson, Henry Adams, Orlando, Florida.
John was a real estate broker in Springfield, Missouri for many years, where he actively participated in the Multilist Board and Springfield Board of Realtors, and was President of the Board in 1974. In 1977, he was recognized as Springfield’s Realtor of the Year. He served a term as Director of Missouri Real Estate Association. In 1974, he was honored to be recognized as one of Missouri’s outstanding businessmen in “Who’s Who in Missouri.” Throughout John’s life, he actively participated in his church and community, as a Sunday school teacher, youth group leader, Boy Scout leader, on the church camp operational board, in Jaycees, and in Southeast Rotary Club of Springfield.
John had a lifelong passion for automotives, both restoring and collecting older cars and also driving newer, fast ones. In the last few years, he found great enjoyment as a member of the Southwest Missouri Corvette Club. John also had a hobby for wooden ship building, creating detailed models. He had a love for the outdoors, whether playing golf, riding his tractor, or boating on the lake. There wasn’t a cat he didn’t nurture or bring home. He shared his passions with his children and grandchildren, treasured the time with his family, and relished a good joke.
A celebration of John’s life will be at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at Greenlawn South Funeral Home, with burial in Hazelwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1-2 pm, Wednesday in the funeral home.
The family requests memorial donations to Victory Mission or Community Hospices of America in lieu of flowers.