Avis de décès de Mary-Frances McGowan - Nécrologie - MesAieux.com

ALBANY Mary Frances (Conlon) McGowan, 95, died peacefully Monday, April 11, 2005 at Resurrection Nursing Home in Castleton-on-Hudson. She was born July 11, 1909 to Florence Mary (McDonald) Conlon and William Joseph Conlon in Binghamton, N.Y. As the oldest of seven children, she had many fond memories of her childhood in Binghamton and the family's summer home in Vestal, N.Y. She attended elementary school at St. Mary's and graduated from Binghamton Central High School in 1927. In the fall of that year, she moved to Albany, N.Y. to study Latin at the State Teachers College. In 1928 she met and fell in love with Thomas John McGowan, Jr. of Albany. They were married in New York City on January 23, 1930. Except for the year she spent in Roseburg, Oregon, she lived her entire adult life in the Albany area. Fran was a devoted wife, mother, friend, and had an unwaivering devotion to the Catholic Church. She was a champion of civil rights, peace and justice. Her dedication to helping others was evidenced by her participation in the Peace and Justice Organization of the Diocese. PAX Christi, the Capital District Community Revolving Loan Fund and Fonkoze. She was a member of the 3rd Order of St. Dominic for over 40 years. She was a patient advocate and a Eucharistic Minister at St. Peter's Hospital, a Birthright volunteer, and a Red Cross Gray Lady at the Veterans Hospital. On October 17, 2001 she received a Capital District Senoir Lifetime Achievement Award for her almost 75 years of service to others. In her activities, our mother demonstrated the integrity that will always remind us of the values she taught us to live by, the love she inspired in us and her unfaltering faith. May she rest in the eternal peace that God grants his courageous children. Fran was preceded in death by her husband, Tom. Survivors include her children; Patricia A. Kiffney of Hilsborough, N.C., J. Terence McGowan of Schenectady, MaryEllen Weber of Delmar, Thomas A.J. McGowan (Susan) of Litchfield, Conn., James C. McGowan (Marybeth) of Sebastopol, Calif. and Mark A. McGowan (Wendy) of Roseburg, Ore.; her siblings, Virginia Byrnes and her husband Pete, Florence Day and Ellen Gallagher all of Binghamton, N.Y. She also leaves 18 grandchildren; Gustin, MaryJo, Peter, Cathy, and Faith Kiffney; Sean and Jeremy McGowan; Stephen Weber, Anne Davis, Patricia Donohue, Emily Leadholm, Duncan, Michael and Colin McGowan; James McGowan; and Coquille, Ian, and Taylor Houshour; 15 great-grandchildren, her special friend Mary Dolan, and many nieces, nephews and friends. She was predeceased by her siblings, Joseph Conlon, Robert Conlon, Teresa Feheley, her son-in-law, William R. Weber and many lifelong friends. Funeral services will be held on Friday at 9:15 a.m. from the Daniel Keenan Funeral Home, 490 Delaware Ave. thence to St. Catherine of Siena Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home Thursday from 5-8 p.m. Interment will follow the Mass in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands. Those wishing to remember Fran in a special way, may send contributions to St. Catherine of Siena Church, 40 Hopewell St., Albany, NY 12208 or to Fonkoze Albany care of Sr. Anita von Willsheim, 799 So. Pearl St., Albany, NY 12202 in support of its program to elevate Hatian Women from poverty.