Willie McGowan

His Start
Born June 15, 1936 to Clint and Artie McGowan in Monticello, Mississippi, Willie Clifton McGowan was the fourth of four children, and was preceded in life by his brother, Henry Williams;  sisters, Linell Robinson and Mary Bryant; and his nephew-brother James Stovall. Willie C., as his family called him, grew up and attended elementary and high school in Monticello. As a young man, he was very industrious. He was the school bus driver as a student during his junior and senior years at McCollough Consolidated High School. He worked on his family property, picked cotton for hire, and sold candy, peanuts, and popcorn at the high school football games. Willie C. had a reputation for being flirty in school, so, he was given the nickname “Sweet Man”. He graduated in April 1955 and moved to Dixmoor, IL, and lived with his sister, Mary and her husband E.B. Bryant, as he started his adult life.
 
His Service 
Willie McGowan provided for his family with his whole heart, mind, soul and body. He gave himself to work faithfully and tirelessly for nearly 70 years no matter what the circumstances.  His work ethic was completely driven by his desire to see his family do well and that his children would have more than he had in opportunities and possessions.  After leaving Mississippi, Willie began working at Allied Steel as a machine operator. After several years he began working for Maremont Muffler which was a United Auto Workers (UAW) shop and he was a proud member of that union. He also worked part time at JC Penney Auto Center, at Dixie Square, Lincoln Mall, and Orland Square. Willie actually worked three jobs at once for a number of years; Maremont, JC Penney, and the pool room in Robbins!  What a man!  In 1969, he began his career at Andrew Corporation where he started in the fiberglass shop and eventually made it into the machine shop. There he demonstrated his superior machining skills. He often said, “There was not a part that I couldn’t make.” He retired from Andrew in 1997.  Two years after retiring from Andrew Corporation, he decided to return to the workforce, this time as a school bus driver; first for American School Bus Company for 23 years, then for Hopewell from May of 2022 until his heavenly transition.

His Spouses
Willie had the blessing of having two great loves in his lifetime.  His first wife, Catherine Marshall, preceded him in glory in 2007.  Willie “Sweet Man” and Catherine, also known as “Sugar Girl”, met in 1955 shortly after his arrival in Dixmoor and were married on his birthday in 1958.  They celebrated 51 years of marriage prior to her death.  They truly lived up to the vows of “for better or worse” and “in sickness and in health”, as they stuck to each other and their children through the good times and bad.  As a couple, they saw God bless and increase them over the years.  Willie diligently and faithfully took care of Catherine through several years of health issues. He would come home and prepare ALL her meals between morning, afternoon, and evening school bus routes.  This was one of the many selfless acts of love that he did for her right up until she departed on December 24, 2007. Then in November 2008 something miraculous happened, Willie McGowan met Margo Garrett. Willie had heard her voice many times before on the two-way radio at the school bus company where they worked together, and was determined to one day meet the face behind the voice. Margo was a Safety Manager there at the time. When they met Margo and Willie quickly and easily became good friends then sweethearts. Willie almost immediately gave Margo the pet name, HoneyDo.  On August 12, 2017, they tied the knot becoming Husband and Wife in front of friends and family. 
 
Willie and Margo built a loving life together, hosting multiple family gatherings, reuniting the entire McGowan family while blending with Margo’s family, and Willie began to travel more than he had ever done before. This caused him to miss days from work, something else he had never done before. Willie and Margo not only enjoyed their life together, they loved their life together. They embraced each other with total joy and appreciation for each other. This union was inseparable; they shared a love that should be written about. Margo often says every woman should have a HoneyDo like Willie McGowan. They shared 17 years of blissful love and never was a cross word spoken between them.  Everyone knew there was something different about him, when he climbed on his granddaughter’s trampoline and jumped like he was 30 years old! Margo also helped inspire him to answer the spiritual call of the Lord that was lying dormant in his soul.
 
His Seed
Willie and Catherine welcomed four children to their union, Brian McGowan (d. Sep 2005 (Donna (d. May 2020)), Clifton McGowan (Connie), Angela McGowan, Kevin McGowan (d. Feb 1981) as well as a bonus daughter, Sharon Stampley.  As a father, Willie was devoted to his children.  His life’s goal was to give them the wisdom, guidance, protection, provision, and love that he didn’t have after his father passed when he was 7 years old.  He was always teaching life lessons in every chore, every drive, every household or car repair, every whupping (yeah plenty of those), and every allowance.  Whatever they did or got from him, there would always be some words that went with it! He always said, “My kids will never be able to say that their Daddy never told them nothing!”  

His Spirit
Willie professed belief in Jesus Christ as his Lord at an early age and he also attended Oak Grove Missionary Baptist. He was baptized as a teenager at a summer revival meeting. His family thought he would be a preacher but he had other ideas.  He was not a regular church goer but he was a spiritual man never straying far from the Word of God.  For many years he would be up on Sunday morning, listening to Apostle Hinton and Pastor Fred Price on TV. His faith was tested during Catherine’s illnesses, but he personally testified to God answering his prayer and doing miraculous work on her heart.  He began to attend some services with her in her last years.  In 2017, he would answer God’s call and publicly rededicated his life to the Lord Jesus. He served as an usher at his local church and drew closer to God alongside Margo. He would be seen lifting his hands to the Lord and praising Jesus openly.  He walked in faith as he battled cancer and God gave him victory after victory with almost no pain!  He continued giving GOD praise until it was time to meet Him on the other side.  On Monday September 29, 2025, at his own home and surrounded by family, he left us to join other family members in the great cloud of witnesses!   
 
Willie McGowan leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Margaret; son, Clifton (Connie);  daughter Angela;  bonus daughter Sharon;  grandson, Andre McGowan Sr.; granddaughter, Jaylen McGowan, great- grandchildren, Andre McGowan Jr., Leilah McGowan, and Reign Beau Avery; niece-sister, Catherine Cantrell; nephew-son, Bishop Dr. Brooks Young Jr.;  nieces, Elnora Beverly, Earlean Ricks, Madia Jones, Toniqua Sheppard,  Monique Muslim, Charlene Robinson, Beatrice Robinson;  nephews, Lee Edward Robinson, Napoleon “Nakia” Garrett, Tony Garrett (Veronica); Terrence Sheppard (Cutrice), and a host of other relatives and friends who loved him dearly.
 

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