Mable Arlene (Smith) McGowen
Born: November 13, 1919 at Rockwell, Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa
Died: September 27, 2008 at Newton, Jasper Co., Iowa
Buried: Sugar Grove Cemetery
Lot Owner: Robert & Mable McGowen
Married: Robert Mc Gowan on September 8, 1946 in Missouri or California
Children: Gerry, Linda and Bob
Parents: Bryan and Matilda Smith
Military: U.S. Navy, World War II 1944 - 1946
Mable A. McGowen
Mable A. McGowen, 88, of Newton died on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008, at USA Healthcare-Newton in Newton.
Funeral services will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Newton.
The family will greet friends from 10 a.m. until the time of service on Wednesday at the church.
Memorials to the Bonnie Ellis Ministry or to the Winsome Bible Camp - Chapel Project may be left at the church on the morning of the service or at the Wallace Family Funeral Home in Newton.
Arrangements are being handled by the Wallace Family Funeral Home & Crematory in Newton.
Survivors include her husband, Robert of Newton; two sons, Gerry (Phyllis) McGowen of Omaha, Neb., and Bob (Becci) McGowen of Waukee; one daughter, Linda (Tom) Panci-McGowen of Lausanne, Switzerland; her grandson, Zachary McGowen of Omaha, Neb.; and three sisters, Doris Philips of Columbus, Ohio, Virginia Elliott of Nevada and Juanita (William) Taylor of Mountain Grove, Mo.* ~ Posted: Monday, September 29, 2008 11:02 AM CDT
Funeral Card
Mable Arlene Smith McGowen was born November 13, 1919 to Bryan and Matilda Smith near Rockwell, Iowa. Her parents moved to Story County in 1920 and she attended various country schools. In 1933 they moved near Maxwell where she completed High School, graduating in May 1938 as Valedictorian of her class.
Mable attended Chillicothe Business College in Chillicothe, Missouri and then worked for the Woolworth Company there. In 1940 she transferred to the Woolworth store in Hastings, Nebraska. She joined the U.S. Navy in April 1944 and served until September 1946.
On September 8, 1946 she married Robert McGowen of Mountain Grove, Missouri. After a short time in Missouri they moved to Newton, Iowa, where Bob found employment with Maytag and Mable worked at Woolworths and later worked at the Newton Library and traveled with the Bookmobile. She also served as a 4-H leader for the Happy-Go-Lucky club.
In the spring of 1965 Mable became a Christian and joined Metz Community Church where she taught Sunday School, helped with VBS and sang in the choir. Mable loved to garden and is known for her homemade jams, her beautiful flowers, her crocheted blankets, her wisdom, her love for her children and her generosity.
Those left to honor Mable's memory are her husband, Bob, their three children: Gerry (Phyllis) who lives in Omaha, NE., Linda (Tom) who lives in Switzerland and Bob (Becci) who lives in Waukee, IA., grandson: Zachary McGowen of Omaha, NE, and her three sisters: Doris Philips from Columbus, OH, Virginia Elliott of Nevada, IA and Juanita Taylor of Mountain Grove, MO. Mable was preceded in death by her parents.
Robert Earl McGowen
Born: March 20 1925 at Higgins, Missouri
Died: June 22, 2013 at Des Moines, Polk Co., Iowa
Buried: Sugar Grove Cemetery
Lot Owner: Robert & Mable McGowen
Married: Mable Smith on September 8, 1946 in Missouri or California
Children: Gerry, Linda and Bob
Parents: Jess and Alice McGowen
Military: U.S. Navy World War II
Robert Earl McGowen
Robert E. McGowen, 88, of Metz died on Saturday, June 22, 2013, at Ramsey Village in Des Moines.
A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Wallace Family Funeral Home in Newton. The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today, June 24, at the funeral home. The family will also greet friends with a lunch at the funeral home immediately following the funeral service.
Memorials to Youth With A Mission may be left at the funeral home. Memorials may also be mailed to the funeral home; please add, Attn: McGowen Family on the envelope.
Survivors include his children, Gerry (Phyllis) McGowen of Omaha, Neb., Linda (Tom) Panci of Lausanne, Switzerland, and Bob (Becci) McGowen of Waukee; grandson, Zac McGowen (Jennifer Blair) of Omaha, Neb.; and his great-granddaughter, Mia McGowen.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mable, in 2008; brother, Wayne McGowen; and sister, Bea Rhodes. ~ Newton Daily News online at http://www.newtondailynews.com/2013/06/23/robert-e-mcgowen/a9owjxp/, accessed June 27, 2013
Funeral Card
Robert Earl McGowen was born March 20, 1925 to Jess and Alice McGowen in Huggins, Missouri. He grew up in the BenDavis, MO area.
Bob joined the Navy in May 1944 where he served for two years. He met Mable Arlene Smith, w ho was his commanding officer at that time. After discharge, he and Mable were married in Placerville, CA on September 8, 1946. They returned to Missouri for a short time before moving to Newton, IA, where Bob started employment with Maytag.
Bob worked for 30 years in the porcelain department, and was t he manager when he retired at 50 years old. He and Mable then spent the next 20 years as the custodian team for the Congregational Church of Christ in downtown Newton.
They raised three children: Gerry, Linda and Bob in Metz, IA. Bob was a devoted husband, father and provider for his entire family. He was the coach for the Little League Team, teaching his boys and many others to "play ball". Later he continued softball on the same team as Gerry and Bob in Des Moines and on the Metz Church team until he was 79 years old.
He helped support Linda in her journey as a missionary in Switzerland for over forty years. Bob & Mable traveled to Europe three times to visit and encourage Linda and her husband Tom.
In the spring of 1965 Bob became a Christian and joined Metz Community Church. He and Mable assisted many widows with their daily activities for years. Bob was the first person to help others in times of need.
He loved his garden, which seemed to expand every year. You could find him there or on his riding mower with his wide-brimmed straw hat almost any day.
When Mable came to the last chapter of her life,Bob spent many hours every day visiting his wife and best friend in a care facility in Newton.
Those left to honor Bob's memory are his three children: Gerry (Phyllis) who lives in Omaha, NE, and their son, Zachary (Jennifer & Mia), Linda (Tom) who lives in Switzerland and Bob (Becci) who lives in Waukee, IA.