Thomas James McGowan, Jr. 82 of Medway died September 11 at Alliance
Health at Coleman in Northborough . He was the husband of the late Dianne (Sellers) McGowan.
Born in Milford, August 25,1943, the son of the late Thomas and Lucille (Zajac) McGowan, Tom was a lifelong Medway resident.
Tom served in the Navy during the Vietnam era, attaining the rank of E-3 and serving on the aircraft carrier Enterprise of which he was so very proud.
A truck driver for most of his working life, Tom saw most of the US as a long-haul carrier in his younger years. He then transitioned to driving locally and had been a truck driver for the Lorusso Corporation for many years before retiring.
A car racing fan for most of his life, in his younger days he could be seen speeding around Thompson Speedway in his own race car. Although a fan of NASCAR, his racing heart belonged to the short tracks and the dirt tracks which he travelled to frequently both here in the North as well as heading south each winter to Florida to catch that circuit.
Tom is survived by his children, Deborah Sharkey and her husband Keith of Marlboro and Thomas and his wife Erin of Athol.
He was the brother of the late Patricia McGowan and Fran Hendrickson.
Tom is also survived by his grandchildren, Ava and Savannah McGowan along with many nieces and nephews who adored their Uncle Tom.
A graveside service at St. Joseph Cemetery, Medway will be held on Saturday, October 4 at 10:00a.m.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his memory to the Baypath Humane Society, 500 Legacy Farms N. Hopkinton, MA 01748 or St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105.
Arrangements are under the care of the Ginley Crowley Funeral Home (ginleyfuneralhomes.com).