June 5, 1914 to April 2, 2007
Roy Gowan, a resident of Lower Lake, recently passed away at the Meadowood Nursing Center. He was 92 years old, and a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge.
Mr. Gowan was born and raised near the town of Tupelo, Okla. He was the third of six sons and two daughters born to Stella and Allen Gowan on June 5, 1914.
He first came to California as a young man in 1933. He made the trip riding on railcars. He worked in the oil fields near Bakersfield and later with a Geophysical company that drilled natural gas wells all over the entire length and west side of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. He eventually settled in Fortuna, Calif., where he and his wife Helen established and managed The Main Street Cleaners. He later lived in Mason, Nev., and Ceres, Calif., before moving to the Clearlake area.
Mr. Gowan was an avid outdoorsman and will be remembered for his hunting and fishing skills. He fully understood and respected the order of nature and wild game. He was highly skilled with rifle, shotgun and bow. He was blessed with great eyesight his entire life and used his uncanny vision to spot game while hunting. He loved to fish and was adept at catching large steelhead, salmon and bass in the rivers of Northern California and other western states.
An excellent cook, Mr. Gowan jokingly preferred to be called “chef.” He took great pride in preparing special dishes and meals, often from game or fish he had caught or bagged. His personal technique of smoking salmon, making venison jerky and wild pig sausage was well known to friends and family.
He was clearly the “favorite Uncle” and much loved by all of his first and second generation nieces and nephews. His visits were always entertaining for “his kids,” as he called us. He would laugh and tell exciting and funny stories about the many incidents and adventures he and Aunt Helen experienced between visits. He was the Uncle and friend we often turned to for advice and assistance as we reached maturity. By consensus, Uncle Roy was the best dad an “Uncle could ever be.” His smile and laughter will be greatly missed by friends and family.
He was preceded in death by his wife Helen and all of his siblings. He is survived by his loving companion, Ms. Vina Pittman of Clearlake and Woodland, Calif.
Masonic Rites will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, April 6 at Jones and Lewis Memorial Chapel, Lower Lake, burial to follow at the Lower Lake Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in the name of Roy Gowan may be sent to the Meadowood Nursing Center, 3805 Dexter Lane, Clearlake, CA 95422.
Please sign the guest book at www.record-bee.com. Click “Obituaries.”
(Published in the Record-Bee on Tuesday, April 3, 2007.)
