Thomas Nicholson Mcgowen

An honorable Montana fisherman was called home on July 21, 2022. Tom McGowen is finally with his lovely Grace, his wife and partner of 68 years. For the past 44 years Tom and Grace have called Hamilton and the Bitterroot Valley their home.

Tom was born on January 2, 1926, in Oak Park, Il. He was raised in Northwestern IL and lived in Phoenix for high school. He was number 81 on the Mustang football team and even made the Arizona Republic 1942 All - Star team.  In 1943, at the young age of 17 he joined the 775th Platoon US Marines and became a member of the Carlson Raider Battalion. Tom’s service to his country was a very proud but difficult time and he would recant many WWII stories over the years.

After the war, Tom took advantage of the GI Bill and attended Notre Dame University. This began his life-long devotion to his alma mater and his passion with Notre Dame football. No one dared call the house to interrupt his Saturday ritual, watching the game with his dogs by his side. It was during this time at Notre Dame University that his sister Maryanne introduce him to Grace Berkley. Those dimples and smile were too hard to resist and they were soon married, on December 4, 1948. Married and in law school at the University of Michigan, they had two children, Tommy and Marsha, in quick succession. A third daughter, Lori (Mallory) came later when they moved to Barrington, Il.

Upon finishing law school, Tom and Grace moved to the Chicago area and raised their family. There he continued his passion of hunting, fishing and the family raised many breeds of hunting dogs. He worked at the law firm of Crowell & Liebman for 10 years. Later, he went on to lead and grow McIntosh Corporation located in Chicago where he was chairman and CEO.  Having served on the Pabst Brewing Company board member since 1973, Tom became interim president and chief executive officer in 1981. He stepped down 4 years later but remained on the boards of American Chemet, Federal Signal Corp, Energy West, Columbia Paint, and Ribi Immunochem.

Finally, Tom officially retired and he and Grace moved to Montana fulltime.  This is where he found his paradise. While his true passion was fishing, he could be found at the Canyons playing tennis, hunting on horseback and hiking Blodgett Canyon. He enjoyed his road bike and learned to ski at 78. He was forever looking for the perfect fishing spot on the Big Hole, Bitterroot, Madison or Missouri Rivers. The indomitable team of Fritz Tossberg, Ron Kulick, Wally Crawford, Dick Strong, Jerry Berg, and Jerry Williams were invincible and inseparable. For 44 years, these boys would be found at the 4Bs, Coffee Cup, and The Kitchen where Tom and his cohorts were known by name. Many locals were the object of their bad jokes and pranks. As kids we all remember great family dinners, neighborhood barbecues and picnics with all the Bitterroot friends. It was what we all enjoyed most; his family of friends and we were always included. Those were very special memories for all the McGowen clan.

Tom and Grace were active members of St. Francis of Assisi church in Hamilton, where he could be found every Sunday morning sitting next to Tom Ford and family (in the back!).  He was preceded in death by his wife Grace June (Berkley) McGowen, his brother in law and wife of Victor, MT – Donnie and Marilyn Berkley. He is survived by his two sisters - Lucille Dewitt and Maryanne Casey. Survivors also include: Tom and Vicki McGowen and their children Sam and Kaelyn, Marsha McGowen and her children Seana, Meredith and Evan, and Lori and Gary Gorman and their children Emily, Natalie, Katie, Adam and Daniel, and many great grandchildren. He is also survived by his faithful lab Slim.

Special thanks to our cousin Sheila Berkley and Walt of Hamilton who provided much love and care for the McGowens’ during their years in Montana.  Sheila was a very special loving niece to Tom and was particularly helpful in his final years.  Thank you to the wonderful caregivers that have touched dad’s life over these past years. Your attentiveness to him as well as devotion were laudable and so very much appreciated by the family. A special thank you to Stephanie Jessop and her family and the team at the Bitterroot Hospice, without you we could not have navigated this.  A very special blessing and warm love for Clarie Jessop. She provided amazing patience, care and love for Tom in his final days. You are an amazing young lady and we hope you know how much we love and appreciate you.

Rest in Peace Dad.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 11:00 am at St. Frances Catholic Church in Hamilton when all the grandchildren are able to attend.