Thomas Patrick McGovern

Thomas McGovern 'Tom' died peacefully on July 2, 2025 at Atria Woodbriar Park in Falmouth. He was born in 1927 into a large Irish family in Jersey City, NJ where he was one of five children. He grew up in hard times and started working as soon as he could to help his family. He liked to tell the story of how he altered his age on his Birth Certificate to be able to work in the railroad yard. Always the storyteller, he had been writing and publishing his short stories, poetry and several plays, until his death. He had various talents, interests, and careers. After his Ordination in 1954 from The Mary Knoll Seminary he served for many years as a missionary in East Africa. He returned to New York City where he began his teaching career. He received his PHD from Columbia University and met his wife to be, Barbara. They moved to Connecticut, where they both taught at local high schools. Tom as a guidance counselor. In 1980 they relocated to Seattle, WA to help run Barbara's family bookstore, BEATTY BOOKS, a renowned used antiquarian bookstore. They moved back to the East coast in 2006 to be closer to family. As members of Woodrise Condos, St. Barnabas Church, book groups, writer's groups, poetry groups, and volunteering at Falmouth Hospital, Falmouth became home. Barbara passed away in 2018, they had been married for 48 years. He will be remembered by all who knew or met him as someone with a great sense of humor. His quick wit, always joking and sharing a laugh! Cape News.net interviewed Tom in 2020, where they declared that Tom McGovern was "a Gentleman, Scholar, and Wordsmith." A fine way we can remember him. Tom is survived by his nephews, Mark Mancuso, Dave Mancuso, and Peter Fenty, along with his two stepdaughters, Candy Dell and Kelly Hill. There will be a graveside service on Monday, July 28th at 10am in Oak Grove Cemetery, Pacific Avenue in Oak Bluffs, MA.