(1976 Graduate Of Montpelier High School)
Randy Loy McGowen, 65, of Taylorsville, passed away on Friday, December 1, 2023 at Frye Regional Medical Center. He was born on May 14, 1958, in Montpelier, Ohio.
He was the son of the late Norman Adell McGowen and Geneva Louise Peters McGowen. He graduated from Montpelier High School in 1976.
Randy was a very social person. He loved people. If given the chance, he could spend most of his day getting to know someone sitting next to him. His family was his heart.
Although he was known to be firm, it was his love for his family that pushed them to be challenged and achieved.
One thing most people did not know about Randy was that he was a huge Southern Gospel Quartet fan. His father sang bass for a quartet when Randy was growing up. So Randy was soothed by his dad’s deep singing voice.
Before he was struck with ALS, his pastimes involved grilling, fishing, hunting, and driving classic cars. He was an extremely talented woodworker making many beautiful things, including hammered dulcimers, mountain dulcimers, bowed psalteries, a harp, a wood strip kayak, and a gazebo, to name a few.
Throughout his life, Randy worked in a gas station, a hardware store, became a machinist and a manufacturing engineer. But his proudest achievement was starting his own business.
He owned and operated Sarasota Stone and Granite in Sarasota, Florida. His creative talents helped him design and create beautiful kitchens, both inside and outside.
Randy is survived by his wife of 45 years, Susan Cobb McGowen; sons, Jamie Loy McGowen and wife April, Joseph Adell McGowen and wife Ashley; daughter, Erin Elizabeth Peters; brothers, Norman McGowen Jr. and Monte McGowen, and grandchildren, Toby, Ollie, Nolan, Henry, Quincy and Dorothy.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, 3710 N Center Street, Hickory, NC, with Rev. Mike Gordon officiating.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to ALS by the way of ALS.org or mailing a check to the more regional office at: ALS North Carolina, 4 N. Blount Street, 2nd Floor, Raleigh, NC 27601. Please mention in the comments “In Memory of Randy McGowen”.
Condolences may be sent to the McGowen family at www.drumfh-hickory.com. Drum Funeral Home in Hickory is honored to be serving the McGowen family.
