David Peter Chowanec

1942 - 2020

David Peter Chowanec, 77, of Frederick, Maryland, passed from this life on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at his home. Born on July 7, 1942, in Peckville, Pa., he was the son of the late George Chowanec and Anna (Daffaro) Chowanec.

David graduated from Blakely High School, Peckville, in 1960. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pa., before earning his master's degree from Villanova University, Philadelphia. Upon graduation from Villanova, he moved to Maryland and began a long tenure at Mount St. Mary's University as associate professor of Spanish and French, later chairing the Department of Modern Languages before his retirement in December 2001.

Chowanec was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. David was a kind, gentle and loving soul. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his lifelong partner, Michael William Olive; a sister, Mary Lugar and husband, Joseph, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; his brother and sister-in-law, Vincent Olive and his wife, Mary; a niece, Jennifer Chowanec of Rockaway, N.J.; an aunt, Eleanor Russoniello; as well as a number of cousins and many close friends in Worman's Mill.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Daniel Chowanec; a nephew, Michael Chowanec; as well as a niece, Lynn Ann Chowanec. David was followed in death by his nephew, Stephen Chowanec, on March 3.

Memorial donations may be made to Smile Train, P.O. Box 96231, Washington, DC 20090 (www.smiletrain.org) or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org).

Expressions of sympathy may be offered to the family at StaufferFuneralHome.com.