Mary Lou Gowen
SCARBOROUGH – Mary Lou Gowen, 85, of Scarborough, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023 to live forever with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Mary Lou was born in Baltimore, Md. on July 12, 1938, to Reuben and Mildred “Peggy” Whisler. She grew up in Port Deposit, Md. where she and her older sister, Dalmetta, graduated from The Tome School. Mary Lou attended the University of Maryland for two years before transferring to Gordon College in Beverly, Mass. where she met her future husband, Fred G. Gowen, Jr.
Fred and Mary Lou married on June 11, 1960. They spent their first five years of marriage at Kents Hill Preparatory School where Mary Lou was a dorm monitor, coached her undefeated archery team, and gave birth to daughters Tracy and Kimberly.
In 1966, the family moved to Sanford where their youngest daughter, Deborah, was born. The family relocated to Scarborough when they purchased a motel in 1970. They ran the motel for five summers before moving to a house in Scarborough that would become “home” to them and their three daughters.
Mary Lou worked in the Scarborough school system as an aide in the Junior High Special Education Program before transferring to the high school. She worked as the secretary to the principal and then as the secretary in the guidance office until her retirement.
Mary Lou loved riding her antique tricycle in parades as a member of The Wheelmen. Her family affectionately called her “The Parade Monster” since it was usually her picture that ended up in the local newspaper. (Everybody loved her!) Mary Lou especially enjoyed traveling with her family as they sang gospel music all over New England; she was the most faithful “roadie” of The Gowens.
A 30-plus year survivor of breast cancer and melanoma, Mary Lou had a stroke in March of 2015. She was cared for at home by her husband until she needed more medical care than her family was able to provide. She was a long-term care resident at Pine Point Center in Scarborough for the final three and a half years of her life.
Mary Lou was predeceased by her parents, Reuben and Peggy Whisler; and her sister, Dalmetta Lucas.
She will be missed by her loving husband of 63 years, Fred; her daughter, Tracy and husband Lewis Tibbetts of Scarborough, daughter Kimberly and husband Joseph Henry of Eureka, Ill. and daughter, Deborah and husband Glen Reed of Scarborough. She loved being “Grandma” to Kaelen Henry, Kelsey (Henry) Sandrock and husband Zachariah, Joshua Reed, and Zachary Reed. She cherished her great-grandchildren, Bode Sandrock and Boston Louise Sandrock. Mary Lou was blessed with a bonus grandson, Matthew Tibbetts and his wife Emily of Westbrook; and great-grandsons, Eli and Adam Tibbetts; as well as several loving nieces and nephews.
Mary Lou’s family plans to have a private celebration of her life next summer.
The family would like to express gratitude to the staff of Pine Point Center and the staff of Hospice of Southern Maine for the loving care they provided in her final years.
To honor Mary Lou, please consider making a donation in her memory to
Hospice of Southern Maine
390 US Route One,
Scarborough, ME 04074,
or give online at
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