Paul Thomas McGowan

Paul Thomas McGowan, 75, of Columbus, Ohio, passed away on September 18, 2025, at Riverside Methodist Hospital. Born July 15, 1950, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Elizabeth Jane McGowan (née Lilly) and Thomas Woodrow McGowan, who instilled in him a passion for learning. He was preceded in death by both of his parents.

Paul graduated from St. John High School in Ashtabula, Ohio in 1968, earned his B.S. cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University in 1972, and received his Masters in mechanical engineering in 1990 from Ohio State University.

He grew up in Conneaut, Ohio on the shores of Lake Erie, where he developed a passion for the lake, water sports, and nature. He was an avid water skier and shared this pleasure with his sisters, cousins, friends, and, of course, his children; he enjoyed this sport throughout his life. In addition, he loved to sing and regularly enjoyed karaoke.

Paul’s greatest intellectual interest and love was science. Following the dictum of Carl Sagan: “Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality”, Paul experienced science as the foundation of a daily soul-nourishing practice. Furthermore, his incessant practice of tinkering to understand how things work and how to fix them expressed his love of mechanics and engineering. This pleasurable practice was communicated and adopted by his children.

Paul married Connie Snyder in 1986, and the two of them had three children: Cyllene Terra, of Seattle, Washington; Megan McGowan (Danial) of Columbus, Ohio; and Ryan McGowan (Jenny Halsey) of Missoula, Montana. He was grandfather to Thorin Michael McGowan (5). He is also survived by his four sisters, Jill (Rodney Kerby), Amy (Doug Claflin), Beth (Stan Arnold), and Janine McGowan.

Paul's family is profoundly grateful to the remarkable staff at Riverside Hospital for their kindness and unwavering support. A family memorial at the Park of Roses within Whetstone Park will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 2:00 [m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to B.R.E.A.D (Building Responsibility, Equality And Dignity; www.BREADColumbus.com)