John Joseph McGowan

John Joseph McGowan, 56, of Simpsonville, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, December 15, 2024.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was the oldest son of Frank and Armeta (Trezza) McGowan.  John grew up in Hazlet, NJ, where he attended Raritan High School, graduating in 1986.  He found his passion for helping others as an active member of the Police Explorers and after completing training at both the Fire and Police academies, continued to serve his community on the West Keansburg Fire Department and Hazlet First Aid.  He enjoyed a career in Loss Prevention while residing in Port St. Lucie, FL and finally, Simpsonville where he lived for 18 years.

John possessed a love of learning and completed classes in a variety of subjects including earning a certification in Phlebotomy.  He was a voracious reader, devouring everything he could about the Civil War and his favorite, Harry Potter. His hobbies included photography and coin collecting, and one of his favorite pastimes, posting on Facebook.   He loved keeping up with old friends and new, and never missed an opportunity to comment on his nieces’ accomplishments. 

John is described by his family as thoughtful, personable, stubborn, loyal, dedicated, silly, and, above all, kindhearted.  He will be remembered for his fierce love of family, animals and emojis.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by his loving brother, Vincent (Kimberly) McGowan and his three nieces, Sydney McGowan, Mallory McGowan and Reilly McGowan.