Obituary of Cherie Frances McGowan

Cherie F. McGowan Obituary

Cherie Frances McGowan (née Hollwedel), 97, passed away peacefully on February 11, 2025 in Vero Beach, Florida.  She was born in Brooklyn, New York and lived in Vero Beach for 31 years after raising her five children in Huntington, New York. Cherie was the daughter of J. Edward Hollwedel and Fannie S. Hollwedel (née Sheridan).  She was married to Thomas J.P. McGowan, MD for 59 years until his death in 2009. Her survivors include her daughters Christine Inglis, Megan Kuntz, Catherine Crimmins, and Maureen Lavelle, and her son, Thomas Sean McGowan. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

She was a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College and received a Masters Degree in Religious Studies/Theology from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception. In addition to her dedication to family and Church, Cherie was an avid bridge player, crossword puzzle solver and voracious reader.  She was always quick with a story about her early years in Brooklyn and was a dispenser of sage advice and pearls of wisdom.

Those who knew Cherie would describe her as beautiful both inside and out, and as a loving, caring, selfless and classy woman. Cherie was loved deeply by her family and friends and will be missed greatly.

A funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church, 53 Prospect Road, Centerport, NY on February 22, 2025 at 10:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Cherie’s name to the Visiting Nurses Association Hospice of Indian River County, 445 24th Street, Suite 300, Vero Beach, FL 32960.