Ann McGowan

Ann McGowan, 85, of Carbondale, died Sunday at home. She was the widow of Alexander "Al" M. McGowan, who died Nov. 28, 2018.

Born in Carbondale, daughter of the late John Spangenberg and the late Ann Collins Truex and her husband James Truex, she was a member of St. Rose of Lima Church, Carbondale. She was a graduate of St. Rose High School, Carbondale. Prior to retirement, she was employed as a secretary for St. Rose of Lima Parish, Carbondale, for more than 35 years. She was a loving mother and grandmother; she enjoyed baking and cooking for her family, especially her baked goods. She was a dog lover.

Ann was involved in numerous local events and was a fixture in the St. Rose/Sacred Heart community for many, many years. She was such a beautiful human being that it is difficult to find words that do her justice. The only way to describe her is with perhaps the most beautiful word ever spoken. A word, that when done right, with tireless effort and endless patience, can impact an entire life. A word that requires kindness and compassion, but also true grit and toughness. A word that must demand discipline, yet maintain a level of acceptance. A word that entails fierce loyalty and protection, yet room for mistakes and the consequences of them. A word that allows one to recover from mistakes, to learn from them, and continue to move forward. A word so powerful that it can take the ambiguity of the term unconditional and transform it into a crystal clear reality. And no one did it better. She was in a word ... Mom.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of the Carbondale Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for their compassionate care given to Ann during her stay.

Surviving are three sons, Alexander McGowan and wife, Diane, Robbinsville, N.J.; Joseph McGowan and wife, Elizabeth, Erial, N.J.; Robert McGowan and wife, Valerie, Jermyn; two daughters, Ann Marie Rusnak and husband, Tony, Greenfield Twp.; and Rosemary Gallagher and husband, Dan, Palmer; 13 grandchildren, Alex, Justin, Shay, Jesse, Katelyn, Joey, Anthony, Alexandria, Danny, Timmy, Brian, Matthew and Riley; a great-grandson, Urijah; a sister, Jean Trichilo, Jessup; a brother, Edward Spangenberg and wife, Alice, Carbondale Twp.; and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be Thursday, June 23, from the Brennan & Brennan Funeral Home Inc., 55 Lincoln Ave., Carbondale, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. in St. Rose of Lima Church, Carbondale. Interment will follow in Our Mother of Sorrows Cemetery, Finch Hill. Friends may call Wednesday, from 4 to 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Williams Syndrome Association, https://williams-syndrome.org/make-donation; or the Griffin Pond Animal Shelter, 967 Griffin Pond Road, Clarks Summit, PA 18411.

For directions or to send online condolences, visit the funeral home website.