George Adrian McGowan

George was born February 22, 1936 in San Diego, California to Jeanne Marie Maffiolo McGowan and James Patrick McGowan. Growing up in Southern California, he was interested in Hot Rods, motorcycles and various forms of art. He met his high school sweetheart at Blessed Sacrament School and later married her in 1957 after enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. Their duty assignments were at Holloman A.F.B. New Mexico and Kadina A.F.B Okinawa, Japan. After his military service they returned to San Diego and he quickly found work in Orange County at McDonald Douglas and attended California State University Long Beach to obtain an engineering degree while raising five children. George found another lifelong passion in the aviation/space program and was recruited by Hughes Aircraft in Fullerton.

Retiring after 27 years with Hughes Aircraft, he joined a few colleagues in Santa Barbara at Sonatech building premier undersea acoustics. This work was challenging and offered plenty of travel.

George was always active with his children’s school functions and their sports activities. Coaching many of their teams and ensuring that the after school events had plenty of volunteers, including being President of the Mater Dei Football Booster Club. He also had his own hobbies of cycling, distance running, fishing, tennis, golf, wood carving, sketching & painting. Every family member has some of George’s art in their homes and his Orange County beach scenes have been in art galleries up and down the California coast. His cartoon Christmas card of the family each year will be treasured by friends and family for generations.

George is affectionately remembered by his wife Helen Ann (Mutscheller) McGowan of Fort Myers, Fl. Five children George Thomas McGowan, Steven Dennis McGowan, John Patrick McGowan, Michael Christopher McGowan, Kristin McGowan Clendinning, eight grandchild and seven great grandchildren

The family plots are in Fort Rosecrans cemetery at Point Loma, San Diego, California.