John Michael McGowan

Born: October 7, 1953 | Died: February 20, 2025

John Michael McGowan, age 71, of Anaheim Hills, CA, passed away on February 20, 2025.

John was born on October 7, 1953, to parents Barbara and John T. McGowan in Whittier, CA. He was the first-born son and the second of four children. He is survived by his sisters Nancy Smith and Janice Wilkins, his brother Bob McGowan, and a multitude of nieces, nephews, and extended family members, all of whom will miss him dearly.

After graduating from Charter Oak High School in 1971, John went on to study Electronic Engineering at California Polytechnic University – Pomona, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1975.

Even before graduating and while in college, he began his career with an electronic engineering firm Interstate Electronics. His professional journey continued with Calcomp Technology, Inc. in Anaheim, where he worked with state-of-the-art, high-end computer plotter printing technology for years. Later acquired by Lockheed Martin, John retired from this career after several decades of dedicated and fulfilling work. Later on, he enjoyed using his engineering skills to help his friends install high-end appliances mainly as a hobby.

John was a loving brother and friend with a large, close-knit circle in the Orange County area, where he resided for over 40 years. His life always revolved around athletics, and he was a gifted athlete. Baseball was his favorite sport, and he played it from Little League through decades of softball leagues & tournaments, competing well into his sixties. His legendary accomplishments on the diamond included playing alongside younger athletes, often half or even a third of his age. He was a life-long Los Angeles Dodgers fan starting with the Sandy Koufax era in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Also, for some reason, he was an avid Cleveland Browns football team fan even though he had no known connection to Ohio. Go figure. Through his passions, John formed many lifelong friendships. Golf was another favorite of his, shared with the same circle of friends. He also enjoyed the outdoors, particularly hiking and backpacking/camping in his younger years.

While living in Orange County, John was married for a time, though he did not have children of his own. His pride and joy were his beloved pet dogs, Molly and Katie who both have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge ahead of him.

John made a positive impact on everyone he met. He loved his family and friends deeply and would do anything for them. He will be missed dearly by all who knew him. We are honored to have been blessed with him as our brother. We take comfort in knowing that he is now with his loving parents and beloved pets.