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Daniel P. McGowan Obituary

McGowan, Daniel P. 75, of St. Paul, MN died on May 18, 2021. Dan suffered a cardiac arrest while hospitalized at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Dan was born August 2, 1945 in Appleton, MN, the second of the nine children of Martin and Elizabeth McGowan. Dan was in the Appleton, MN class of '63, among the smallest to that point, and therefore likely among the closest of classes. He excelled in basketball, playing in the district championship game as a junior, and in track, where he frequently anchored the half-mile relay team.

Following graduation from Appleton High School, Dan attended St. Thomas (then) College in St. Paul. He then attended the University of Minnesota Law School prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1968. Most of his time was spent working in the Judge Advocate's office at Fort Bragg, NC. When his enlistment was up in 1972, he returned to complete his law degree at Minnesota and was subsequently admitted to the Minnesota bar in 1974. For the next 3 years Dan served as County Attorney for Chisago County, MN. Next Dan followed in the footsteps of his father, a 4-term state legislator, and joined the office of the Minnesota State Senate Counsel where he served for nearly 40 years until his retirement.

The job he enjoyed most, however, with his part time bartending at the former O'Gara's Bar in St. Paul where he was affectionately known as "Big Daddy". Tending bar did not conflict with his long-time association with Alcoholics Anonymous and once said if it had paid better, he would have preferred it to the law. Even after O'Gara's closed, Dan found another part time bar tender job at the exclusive Minneapolis Club.

Dan's children were his pets which always consisted of a golden retriever and a cat. He had several of each over the years and was an active supporter of Retrieve A Golden of the Midwest (RAGOM) from whom he had adopted 6 retrievers, Cindy, Roxie, Rosie, Daisy, Valentine and Sasha.

Dan loved to spend time during the winter months at his condo on Sanibel Island, FL, and was always accompanied by his pets. There he could occasionally catch a spring training baseball game of his hometown Minnesota Twins. A baseball fanatic, Dan would travel the country to watch his Twins play ball rather than going to the old HHH Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Dan was in a long-term relationship and marriage to Pamela Younger of Edina, MN, prior to their separation 3 years ago. He was very involved in the lives of Pam's daughter Meg and grandson Paul. Dan was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Sean of Las Vegas, NV. He is survived by siblings, Marty (Pat) McGowan of Monroe Township, NJ; Meg McGowan of St. Paul; Vince (Terry) McGowan of Madison, WI; Kevin McGowan of St. Paul; Brendan of St. Paul; Maureen (Paul) Sinkler of Minneapolis; and Mike (Joy) McGowan of Eagan MN; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by O'Halloran & Murphy, 575 So. Snelling Ave, St. Paul, MN. 55116. A memorial service will be planned for early July. Memorials to Retrieve A Golden (ragom.org) are encouraged.