Nicholas P. "Nick" Governale

Nicholas P. "Nick" Governale slipped quietly into eternal life in the early hours of February 25th as he slept beside his beloved wife, Sara.

Nick was a first generation American, born in New Orleans, Louisana on August 20, 1931 to immigrant parents, Nicholas Peter (Nicolo Pietro) Governale, a native of Sicily, and Josephine Carl, a native of Alsace Lorraine. His father died when he was nine years old. After his father's death, Nick, his mother, and his sister Angela became homeless for a time. Nick's heart and concern was always with the homeless.

A devout Catholic, he devoted many years to the Church. He was educated from grade school through college by the Redemptorists, a Catholic order of missionary priests. In 1960, under the auspices of the Redemptorists, he was sent to Brazil where he worked in various missions along the Amazon River. Nick was called back to the US in 1967 due to the critical illness of his sister Angela. He lived with her family for a year, helping to care for his sister and her four children.

In 1968 he joined the US Air Force. He was a captain and was stationed at Charleston AFB for a year, then sent to Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska. Deciding to continue his education, he enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Alaska in Anchorage. There he met Sara Ann Barnett. The two became good friends, fell in love and married in 1971. Nick received his Masters Degree and Honorable Discharge from the US Air Force the same year and then joined Bechtel, an engineering and construction company, as a consultant.

He and Sara moved to San Francisco for a time, then Fairbanks, Alaska, where their daughter, Marcie, arrived. They were then transferred to Ft. Mc- Murray, Alberta, Canada, where their son Nicholas III joined the family. Next "stop" was Al Khabar, Saudi Arabia, then Jubail, Saudi Arabia, on to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and finally Houston, Texas. The family enjoyed traveling all over the world during this time.

In 1988, Nick joined Digital Equipment Corporation, and the family moved to the Boston area. After taking early retirement, Nick started his own consulting business, working into his 70's.

In 2001, Nick and Sara fulfilled a longtime dream by moving to "The Farm" in Mount Vernon, Washington. There they happily gardened to their heart's content. Nick will be remembered for his tomatoes, green beans and especially zucchini, along with his garlic specialty, which he happily distributed around the neighbor- hood and local food banks.

Throughout his life, Nick dedicated himself to the Church he loved. Possessing a beautiful baritone voice, he was a lector, cantor, parish council member and school board member. He especially enjoyed visiting and praying with the sick and homebound.

Nick is survived by his wife, Sara, his daughter, Marcie and her husband, Patrick Gallagher, and his son, Nicholas III and

his wife, Deborah and their children Evan and Sophia. Also surviving are his sister-in-law, Marlene Meitl and her husband Steve, his niece Angela Marie Campbell and she husband Jim, his niece Mary Jo Staehle and her husband Billy, his nephew John Boudreaux and his wife Sandra, and their children, among others. His parents, infant brother Joey Efker, brother John ("Mud") Efker, and his sister, Angela (Melvin) Boudreaux preceded him in death.

The Rosary will be prayed at 11:30 AM on Thursday, March 5th at Immaculate Conception Church at 400 North 15th Street, Mount Vernon. The Funeral Mass will follow at 12:15 PM at Immaculate Conception Church. The after Mass reception will be held at Hillcrest Lodge, Hillcrest Park, 1717 South 13th Street, Mount Vernon. Inurnment will be private.

Memorials in Nick's memory may be made to Friends of Sarnelli House (a Redemptorist orphanage in Thailand), Box 88234, Milwaukee, WI 53288-0234