A Eulogy From His Youngest Brother

by Brian McGowan

Are you connected?

Tom became connected on March 11, 1958 when he entered the growing family of Francis & Shirley McGowan on 60 Acadia St.

The first connections were with his parents, brothers and cousins. Then came neighborhood friends. Soon it expanded to town leagues, elementary school, junior high and Hall High School.

Tom connected to teammates, teachers, parents, and most importantly, new friends.This connection continued to Trinity College with football, greek life, and academics.

This web of connectivity continued. lt grew and grew.

It expanded and expanded into work life at the Travelers, Lynch & Mayer and Siguler Guff. It spread to other states such as Texas, California,  Rhode Island, NYC and Pelham. It spread to other countries: Ireland, India, Russia and his fondest, Australia.

The expanse multiplied and multiplied . Tom always remained connected. While the connections may have been in emails, phone calls or getting to special gatherings, Tom remained a part of us.

Then the expanse took on a whole new realm – a burst of energy, of cosmic strength, a bond: a marriage to Mary Haggerty. With this explosion of links the strongest connections began – the births of Eily, Nora, Rose, Gavin and Max.

The family was the center of Tom. His heart and soul. That bond, that connection, will never be broken. Tom’s connections were so strong…so powerful. I can tell you this—he fought so hard to the end to make sure those bonds remained unbroken.

So what do we make of this?

What of the connections a man makes in his life?

Who does he touch?

The connections I speak of are those of PURE LOVE. PURE LOVE….that was the energy of the man, the husband, the father, the brother. PURE LOVE for teammates and PURE LOVE for friends.

All that Tom did for us was out of this PURE LOVE – A life of PURE LOVE over 59 years….that’s what makes a great man.

And this love for us is why were are here today.

Forever connected.