Doris Wearne McGowan, 91, died September 19, 2008, of natural causes at RiverMead Retirement Community, her home since 1996. She was surrounded by her loving children and grandchildren.

She was born in Central Islip on November 11, 1916, the daughter of Angie (Robinson) and Raymond G. Wearne. She graduated from Skidmore College in 1939 and served as a psychiatric social worker in Brooklyn, New York, until marrying John E. McGowan, M.D., her husband of 36 years. After raising four children, she worked as a real estate agent and licensed broker in Garden City for many years.

Her husband died in 1977. She is survived by her four children, John E. McGowan, Jr., and his wife Linda Kay McGowan of Atlanta, Georgia; Doris Flynn and her husband Christopher Flynn of Dublin, New Hampshire; Eleanore Adelman of Tucson, Arizona; and Maureen Beattie and her husband Raymond Beattie of Longmeadow, Massachusetts; 12 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Eleanore Wearne Holderman of Orange, California.

A memorial celebration was held at RiverMead on September 20; burial was at Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York, on September 24.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Friends of Little Field Home, PO Box 108, Hebron, Maine 04238 (www.littlefieldhome.org).

Jellison Funeral Home, Peterborough, assisted the family with the arrangements.