Hazel Mae (Thomas) MCGOWAN

MCGOWAN, THOMAS, LAWSON, COOPERMAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/22/2015 at 20:23:35

March 22, 1916 ---- November 15, 2015

Hazel Mae McGowan, 99, of Davenport, Iowa, passed away Sunday, November 15, 2015 at Senior Star, Davenport. Services in celebration of her life will be at 11 am Tuesday, November 24th at St. John’s United Methodist Church, 14th & Brady St., Davenport, where her family will greet friends from 10 am until time of service. According to her wishes, she will be cremated. Inurnment will be in the Mausoleum of the Garden of Memories, Waterloo, Iowa, beside the ashes of her husband. Weerts Funeral Home, Davenport, is assisting her family with arrangements.

Hazel Mae was born in 1916 to Leon and Pearl Thomas in Mason City, Iowa. She graduated from high school there and went on to Iowa State Teachers’ College where she earned an elementary education degree. She taught first grade several years in Meservey, Iowa. She married Merlin (Mac) McGowan on June 5, 1938 in her parents’ home in Mason City. She continued to teach as a substitute in the schools until becoming a full time mom. They had two children, Alys Jo and Tom. In these early years of their marriage, Mac was the business manager for Marshall and Swift Laundry, Dry Cleaners and Furriers in Mason City.

Hazel Mae was a wonderful cook and baker. She especially enjoyed having dinner guests and was always happy to share baked goods from her kitchen... homemade bread, pecan and cinnamon rolls, cookies or bars with neighbors and friends. After being given several angels by friends, she began to buy one or two at ‘after Christmas’ sales each year. Eventually through family and friends she had more than 800. It was a labor of love to get them out each November and arrange them in her home. Then she invited friends and groups at holiday time to enjoy the variety.

In 1951 Hazel Mae and Mac moved the family to Fort Dodge, Iowa while Mac took on an IRHA Hardware franchise. A few years later he decided to return to the laundry and dry cleaning business. He purchased one in downtown Waterloo and eventually built a more modern and larger one on the outskirts of the city. Hazel Mae supported Mac in the business by working where she was needed, whether it be in the office or in the plant itself. She enjoyed reading, writing letters to family and friends, playing bridge, arranging flowers (for a local hospital) and making gift cards, bridge tallies and note cards for countless gifts to others. She belonged to TTT Chapter DW and PEO Chapter FE while living in Waterloo.

Mac and Hazel Mae purchased a cabin along Lake Hartwick near Delhi, IA in the 60’s and spent most weekends there each summer. They had friends and family come often. At retirement time they moved to a larger cabin with easier access to the water. They also purchased a home in Cherokee Village, AR where they spent fall and winter months. (Winters away from snow and ice were important for Mac). They spent seven wonderful years there before Mac died (1987), sharing their home and enjoying friends. The next spring they would have celebrated 50 years of marriage.

A few years later Hazel Mae moved to Bettendorf due to health issues. She moved into Palmer Hills Retirement Center. She spent most of 20 happy years there... playing bridge, reading, enjoying friends, participating in church activities at St. John’s UMC and volunteering in Alys Jo’s first grade classroom for at least twelve years. Hazel Mae was a member of St. John’s Northern Lights and Together Sunday School class, Adult Fellowship, Widows’ Group and Joanna Circle. For 20 years, she gave devotions, light-hearted jokes and programs of interest monthly for the widows. She did devotions for Joanna Circle for many years as well. In recent years she was a member of PEO Chapter JS.

In the last five years Hazel Mae was living at Senior Star Assisted Living. She was fortunate to have kind and loving caregivers there. She and her family were always appreciative of all they did for her. The family also thanks Hospice Compassus for their care and assistance in her final months. May God grant her peace.

Survivors include her daughter Alys Jo (Ken) Lawson of Davenport; her son Tom (Kathy) McGowan of Raymond, IA; two grandchildren, TJ (Lisa) McGowan of Cedar Falls, IA and Nicole McGowan of Waterloo, IA. Also surviving are five great-grandchildren and ten nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, an infant sister Edna, two brothers Robert and Ralph Thomas of Mason City, her sister Leona Cooperman of Stockbridge, MA three nephews and a niece.

Memorials may be given to the Foundation of St. John’s United Methodist Church in Davenport or to Arrowhead Youth and Family Services in Coal Valley, Illinois.

http://www.weertsfh.com/obituary.html?id=3157