Thomas Dale McGowan

Thomas Dale McGowan was born on Christmas Day, December 25th, 1948, the son of J.T. and Inez (Cookson) McGowan. He grew up with his siblings, Danny, Ronnie and Sharon. He attended school in Seminole, OK. He also completed barber school and welding school in Tulsa, OK. He worked in Tulsa as a welder for various companies and later worked as a Security Guard for Wackenhut Security Company which was his true passion. Any spare time he had was spent working on cars, especially antique models. He loved to tinker with engines and enjoyed working with his dad and brothers on auto body repair. Fishing was another hobby which he truly enjoyed. He was the proud father of his daughter, Melissa and was also proud of his three grandchildren, Payton, Darci and Riley.

He died in Tulsa, OK on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 due to complications following surgery. He was 65 years old. He is preceded in death by his parents and his former wife, Oleta Goad.

Tommy is survived by his daughter, Melissa Edmondson, her husband Ryan and their children, Payton, Darci and Riley of Miami, OK; his brothers, Danny McGowan of Tahlequah, OK and Ronald Lee McGowan of Eufaula, OK; his sister, Sharon Derrico and her husband Louie of Duncanville, TX; his nieces, Tanya McNeely and Terra Cotton; nephew Ronald Lee McGowan Jr.; his aunts Inez Glory and Lois Garner Henderson; Uncle Hubert Dunham and numerous cousins and friends.

We all have challenges throughout our lives, but Tommy was one of those who had more than his fair share beginning at age six when he was blinded in one eye by a neighbor’s BB gun. That incident had repercussions not only to his self-esteem, but also his learning ability and self-confidence. In young adulthood he was diagnosed as type 2 diabetic and later he had debilitating neuropathy and extreme tremors from Parkinson’s disease which confined him to a nursing home for the past eight years.

In describing Tommy’s personality, you can say he sometimes had a temper and could be difficult to deal with but you also have to say he was caring, charming and jovial. People found it easy to like him and he loved teasing and joking with everyone. If Tommy only had $5.00 in his pocket and someone needed it, he gladly gave it. While living in Tulsa, there was a young boy in the neighborhood who had no bicycle like his friends and his single mom couldn’t afford one. Tommy asked around until he found a bike that needed repair, fixed it up and gave it to him. While working security at an indoor flea market he heard Terra’s husband Ryan liked Dukes of Hazard memorabilia so he searched the vendors there and found a Dukes of Hazard lunch box for him. That’s just two examples of his thoughtfulness toward others. Working security at that flea market was probably the happiest time of his life because he was able to meet, visit and joke with lots of people. It was just his nature to be gregarious.

As a teenager and young man, Tommy got into his share of mischief. Sharon remembers the first example was when she was seven and he was five. A neighbor had given the family some fresh honey from his beehives located in the peach orchard between their houses. The two of them had watched him get it so they decided they could get it themselves the next time. It didn’t look that difficult, but talk about a lesson learned the hard way. It took a lot of swatting from Mom and a can of bug spray to get all the bees off of them.

Tommy was particularly proud of his Cherokee heritage and loved wearing T shirts with Cherokee emblems. He loved animals, especially his gray parrot that he taught to talk and his little dog, Rosco. He never had much in the way of material possessions, but was always grateful for what he did have, especially his Cherokee home and the furniture he bought. However, sometime after moving into the nursing home, the house and everything he had was destroyed by fire.

Even after being confined to living with constant care and losing everything he owned, Tommy never gave up hope of someday again being able to live independently on his own. In the meantime, he formed close relationships with his caregivers and his loss left several of them with sincere sadness. Here are some of the emails Sharon has received after Tommy passed. The first two are examples of the light hearted and caring relationship he had with his caregivers.

“Sharon, this is Sharla from Checotah Nursing Center. I am so sorry for your loss. On Monday, August 18th I took Tom to have surgery and while we waited a lady gave me a piece of paper with a 4 digit code on it. I put it in my purse. Tom asked me after she left what it was. He was a little nervous so I told him it was the code needed to take him home and if I lost it, he had to stay. He told me to show him where I put it so he could remember in case I didn’t because he didn't want me to leave him and we had a good laugh. Then we went back and I helped him get ready for surgery. I put the hat on him and we talked until it was time. I felt bad that I had to leave him. (Because of complications the surgery ended up being more than just day-surgery) So on Friday when he got home I went to tell him I was sorry for leaving him. He told me it was OK and that he loved me anyway. I gave him his watch that I was holding until he got home. He was glad I didn't lose the watch like the hospital had before.”

“This will be a little tuff to hear at this time but it will be a good memory of your brother. It started 8/17/14 when my daughter's future husband was killed in a car wreck. Tom saw her on that day and the next morning when we were leaving to go to the hospital for his surgery he asked what was wrong so I told him what had happened. He told me how sorry he was. The day he returned from his surgery which was on Friday 8/22/14 he told my daughter, Crystle, “If I could take his place and he could come back, I would.” He also said he would pray for her. When we came home from the service the next day we heard about Tom and had a prayer for him. No matter how much he complained about things we were still home for him and he will be missed.”

This last e-mail was from the Director of Nursing.

“Sharon, we were sitting in my office remembering Thomas. He always talked about Tahlequah. Whenever Tom was upset about something he ALWAYS wanted to “talk to my sister", he loved Sharon so much!! Tom always made jokes and would tease me when I would take his finger stick ...he" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reading...he would tell me, "I don't have any blood." When I would stick his finger he would jump and say "Oh, you hurt me" then he'd laugh real big. When Tom had his mind set on something no matter how we tried we could never change his mind (lol)...he was a mess...he was a part of our family here at Checotah Nursing Center and we loved him very much. When I walk down Jo Jo Junction (the hall that Thomas lived on) to me room 34 will always be "Tom’s Room". Sometimes Tom would hear one of our voices and holler from his bed for us to come and visit with him...we talked about many things...he would talk about his sister and brothers at times and about things he did before he was a resident at our nursing home. Tom often was frustrated because of the way his hands would shake. Tom was pleasant and had a great sense of humor, but when he was upset about something, oh boy, did I ever hear about it!! (lol) my office door would open and there would be Tom wheeling himself in his wheelchair proceeding to tell me about it!! Eventually we would get the problem resolved but Tom didn't leave my office until he was satisfied!! (lol).

As you’ve heard, Tommy was a special person and though he had a difficult life he never wallowed in his misfortune and now he is at last free of the neurological difficulties of Parkinson’s disease and the physical limitations resulting from both Parkinson’s and diabetes. He truly is now at peace.