Betty McGowan

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio -- Betty Jean Drake McGowan, 81, of Mount Vernon joined her Heavenly Father on Tuesday, June 14, 2016. She passed away peacefully in her son's home in Cape Girardeau.

Betty -- "B.J.," as she was known to many -- was born Sept 20, 1934, in Mount Vernon to the late Dr. John C. and Helen Wickersham Drake. She graduated from Mount Vernon High School and then received a degree in education from DePauw University, where she was a proud member of Delta Gamma Society. She later received her master's in education from Ohio State University.

In 1957, she married the Rev. Hugh James McGowan III. They moved to Manistique, Michigan, where she took her first teaching position. In 1960, they relocated to Brown Deer, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. After her husband's passing, Betty returned to her hometown of Mount Vernon in 1990.

Throughout her life, Betty was active in the church. She represented St. Martin's Episcopal Church at many special events locally, statewide and nationally. She was the head of the "Church Alive" for the Diocese of Milwaukee and led prayer groups and Bible studies, where, in her words, she "learned far more from those attending than she brought to the table." She started the Prayer Chain at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church and was a beneficiary of it during her illness.

In addition to her church activities, she was instrumental in starting the first public library in Brown Deer, and she continued her career as a home-bound teacher for Brown Deer Public Schools and surrounding school systems, where she spent many years educating and loving on each and every one of her students. She considered all of "her children" very special.

Betty enjoyed making her special art project of candied Easter eggs, of which many still exist today; however, her favorite pastime was cheering for her beloved Green Bay Packers and swooning over her favorite player, the late linebacker Ray Nitschke.

B.J. will be remembered for her passion for Christ, her great sense of humor and fiercely independent personality, her enjoyment of games such as Zilch or Yahtzee, her generous spirit and her three loves -- "God, family and Green Bay Packers."

Betty is survived by her children, Hugh James (Sarah) McGowan IV of Cape Girardeau, Kathleen Dee McGowan (fiance Bob Molinelli) of Olympia, Washington, and John Drake (Kelley) McGowan of Cape Girardeau; and her grandchildren, Hugh James McGowan V (fiance Lauren Burnham) of Jackson, Thomas Harold McGowan of Kansas City, Missouri, and Julia Jane McGowan of Cape Girardeau. Additionally, she is survived by her siblings, John T. (Mollie) Drake and Joan Drake; her sisters-in-law, Nancy (Jim) Farrell and Pam (Brian) Ahearn; and her dear friends Peggy Hooper, Joan Menne, Sam Scoles, Mitch and Shirley Addison and her high-school "crew," among others.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Hugh; her parents, John and Helen; and many of her dear friends, including Elaine Mayhew and Mary Sue Scoles.

There will be a small private service Saturday. Friends of the family are invited to an open time of fellowship and community with the family from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Christ Episcopal Church in Cape Girardeau.

A full celebration of life will take place July 9 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Betty's hometown of Mount Vernon.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Saint Paul's Episcopal Church of Mount Vernon.

Lasater Funeral Homes in Mount Vernon is in charge of arrangements.