In the summer of 2014, the community of York, Maine, was met with the sad news of the passing of Paul Donald McGowan, a 67-year-old Caucasian male. A resident of the Cape Neddick neighborhood, McGowan was a well-regarded public servant, at the time serving as a State Representative for the 149th District of Maine. His death on July 27, 2014, was a shock to many who knew him and worked with him.
Born on April 8, 1947, in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, McGowan had a history of dedication
to his community and country. He was a graduate of Providence College and had served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. His career was marked by a passion for working with people and improving organizations, a drive that eventually led him to the Maine House of Representatives. During his tenure, he was a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee and was instrumental in passing significant cancer-related legislation.
It was later revealed by his family that McGowan had been struggling with depression. In the end, he lost his private battle with this illness and took his own life. His family conveyed that the death of his wife of 33 years, Shirley Ann Huckins McGowan, from cancer in 2003 had left him with a broken heart from which he never fully recovered. His passing was not the result of a criminal act, and therefore, there were no arrests or suspects in connection with his death. He was survived by his sister, brother, daughter, and son.
