Walter E. McGowan's Obituary
Walter E. McGowan, Colonel, Engineer (Retired) (Mac/Ed/Grandpa), 91, of Dallas, Texas, passed away peacefully on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24, 2014. A memorial service celebrating his life and service to God and Country will be held at 10:00 am, Friday, January 2, 2015 at Restland Memorial Chapel, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75243 with family visitation on Thursday, January 1, 2015 from 2:00 pm until 4 pm at Restland Funeral Home. Dr. Michael Waco will be officiating. Burial will follow at Dallas Fort-Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, Texas 75211 at 1:15 pm. Memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospital in Dallas. Ed was born on Flag Day, June 14, 1923 in Sweetwater, Texas, the only child of Leonard and Jewell Godfrey McGowan. He graduated from Newman High School, Sweetwater, Texas in 1940. On April 17, 1942 he married the former Nellie May Conwell. Together they had three children. Ed was later widowed and married Jean Pauli Smith on September 6, 1985 when he became step father to two more children. Ed started his military career by enlisting in the US Navy during WWII. Upon his return he completed a BS in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech University then joined the Texas Highway Department in Corpus Christi, Texas. Later he began working for the US Army Corps of Engineers and served as Chief of Construction on various projects including NASA Space Center in Houston, Texas missile silos and numerous buildings, bridges and waterways throughout Southwest Texas until his retirement in 1985. Ed was a Reservist for 5 years USNR-QM-3c, and for 33 years from Lt. to Brigade Commander of the 362nd Civil Affairs Brigade (USAR) Dallas, Texas. Ed is survived by his wife, Jean McGowan, his daughter Carol and her husband, Robert LaGasse of Shallowater, his son Stephen McGowan of Dallas, his stepdaughter Christine and her husband Matt Ivanis of Kyle and his stepson Rick and his wife Tammy of Dallas. Altogether he has 13 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75243. Memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospital in Dallas.
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