SUZANNE WILHELM MCGOWAN
Suzanne Wilhelm McGowan, 43, passed away peacefully December 19, 2016, at her home in Nashville, Tenn. surrounded by her loving family.
Sue is survived by her husband, Kyle McGowan, and four children, Eleanora, Augustine, Francis, and Sofia. Also surviving are her parents, Marilyn and Lee Wilhelm of Norwich, N.Y. and four sisters: Mary Shamblen, Karen Arbegast, Jennifer Kraeger, and Laura Wilhelm, and their husbands and children.
Sue was born on October 11, 1973, in Washington, D.C. Growing up in Norwich, N.Y., she attended St. Paul's Catholic School and Norwich High School. She attended Nazareth College in Rochester, graduating in 1996. Later she moved to Washington, D.C. To work and study at Georgetown University where she met her husband-to-be, Kyle McGowan. They were married in St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Oxford, N.Y. on December 7, 2002.
Suzanne loved her family, her faith, and her many wonderful and supportive friends. She especially loved being a birth and delivery doula, and was studying midwifery when she became ill with pancreatic cancer and was unable to continue. Even with sickness, Sue touched all she knew with her wit, and wisdom, and passion for life.
A Mass of the Resurrection was held at Assumption Catholic Church, Nashville, Tenn. On Dec. 22, 2016, and burial at Calvary Cemetery, Nashville.
On Sat. Feb. 4, 2017, at 11 a.m. Mass will be celebrated for Suzanne at St. Paul's Catholic Church, 30 Pleasant St., Norwich, N.Y. Celebrants will be Fr. Ralph Bove and Fr. James Schultz. Following will be a reception in the Church Hall to celebrate Suzanne's life. All are welcome.
Contributions in Sue's memory may be made to: New Horizon's For Children at www.nhfc.org (nhfc is an orphan-hosting organization the McGowan's worked with to first host their girls Eleanora and Sofia).