LUELLA GOWRAN

Death Takes Mrs. Gowran at 96 Years TWO RIVERS—Mrs. Luella B. Gowran, 96, widow of H.C. Gowran, Two Rivers’ former mayor an former president of Hamilton Mfg. Co., for years widely known in music circles in the area, died Tuesday morning at Sharon Lane Home, Kansas City, Mo., where she had been a patient for five years.
Mrs. Gowran, nee Luella B. Shaver, was born July 24, 1872, at Portland, Mich., where the family operated a general store. When she was a child the family brought her to Portage, Wis., where the mercantile enterprise was continued. She received her education in the Portage schools and was a longtime friend of the late Zona Gale, the famed prolific novelist of Portage, who paid frequent visits here.
Musical Interest
Possessing no little inherited ability, Mrs. Gowran assumed an interest in music in early childhood, and through her dedication to this field became an accomplished pianist and later organist.
On May 3, 1894, she was married at Portage to Harry C. Gowran. Soon after the couple moved to Milwaukee where her husband became an accountant and bookkeeper for the Filer and Stowell Co., on the city’s south side
(Bayview). In 1896 the Gowrans moved to Two Rivers where her husband became associated with the Hamilon firm, which he helped to expand and later became its long-time president. As mayor for two terms in the early 1920’s her husband was instrumental in establishing the city manager form of government. He was also the first president of Two Rivers Municipal Hospital Board. He died Nov. 21, 1941.
The expansive colonial style home of the Gowrans on the city’s upper Jefferson Street, now the home of the Raymond Wiersigs, was the scene of scores of musical
events, including programs of the McDowell Music Club, an organization she helped to fund.
Choir Director
Mrs. Gowran was director of the choir of the Congregational Church at its original location, now the site of Harlow’s Market on lower Washington Sreet. After the new Grace Church was built at 25th and Washington streets, she continued to direct the choir and was its organist for many years. Mrs. Gowran’s rich alto voice found her much in demand as a soloist for many of the early musical functions in the community. Also her voice blended with numerous groups, particularly earlier friends recall, was a mixed quartet in the mid-1910’s
which also included the late Mr. Charles (Martha) Krause, soprano; Robert Hartley, tenor, who had immigrated from England, and the base, Lennox B. Clarke, retired
Washington High School principal. For years after the retirement of Mrs. Gowran from her long musical career in Two Rivers, a daughter, Mrs. Howell G. (Dotothy)
Evans, succeeded her mother in choir direction and other choral leadership.
Survivors Told
Besides Mrs. Evans, now of McAllen, Texas, and Milwaukee, Mrs. Gowran leaves four grandchildren, Mrs. Robert (Polly) Oppenheim, of Milwaukee, and Howell G. Evans Jr.,
of Houston Texas, daughter and son respectively of Mrs. Evans, and Mrs. Jack (Jean) Close of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mrs. Allyn (Susan) Wadhams of Bloomfield, Conn.,
daughters of the late Mrs. Carlton (Margaret) Reynolds, the only other daughter, who died in January of 1966 at Kansas City, Mo.
Funeral services will be announced by Deja and Martin Funeral Chapels, Two Rivers.
Manitowoc Herald Times, Tuesday October 15, 1968 P.3
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