Obituary of Charles McGovern

Charles I. "Chuck" McGovern Hinsdale, NY Charles I. "Chuck" McGovern of 1352 Route 446 passed away Wednesday (March 26, 2014) at his home following a lengthy illness. Born March 22, 1940 in Cuba he was the son of Martin Joseph and Ivernia Thomas McGovern. On July 26, 1975 in Olean he married Laura Snopkowski who survives. Chuck was a 1958 graduate of Cuba Central School and from 1960 to 1963 attended Buffalo State College. During that time he also worked at the Voorhees Funeral Home in Cuba and the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home in Shinglehouse, PA. From 1963 to 1965 he served with the US Army in Korea and Vietnam and received a Korean government citation for assistance in one of the country's worst floods. After completing military service he worked for 35 years as a draftsman for Dresser Rand (formerly Dresser Clark Co.) until his retirement in November 2000. Chuck was a member of St. Mary of the Angels Church in Olean, was a life member of the Pulaski Club in Olean and was a life member and past financial officer of the Hinsdale American Legion Post 1434. He was a past member of the Hinsdale Fire Department and a life member of the Southwestern Firemen's Association. He enjoyed all sports, especially golf, and in his earlier years, bowling. He was a past member of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials and refereed numerous basketball games throughout Cattaraugus County for a number of years. He was an avid fan of the Buffalo Sabres, Notre Dame football and basketball, the St. Bonaventure men's and women's basketball programs, the NY Mets and the Cleveland Indians. He'll be remembered for his great sense of humor and for his enjoyment of gardening where he gave away most of the harvest. He most enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, especially his grandchildren. Surviving besides his wife are 1 son Kevin (Tammy) McGovern of Myrtle Beach, SC; 2 daughters Jacalyn Jones of Fletcher, NC and Karen (Scott) Graham of Olean; 7 grandchildren Tanner and Carmen Jones, Toby, Caitlin and Derek McGovern and Elyse and Olivia Graham; 1 sister Helyn (Robert) Wilson of Hinsdale and many nieces and a nephew; 2 sisters-in-law Lorraine (Jerry) Mitchell of Shinglehouse, PA and Judith (Lynn) Fisher of Cape Coral, FL and his mother-in-law Frances Snopkowski of Cape Coral, FL. In addition to his parents he was predeceased by a brother Thomas Edward McGovern and a sister-in-law Annette Miller McGovern. Friends will be received at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home 3128 W. State Rd. Olean today (Friday) from 2-4 & 7-9pm. A prayer service will be held at the funeral home Saturday (March 29, 2014) at 9:30am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in St. Mary of the Angels Church. Rev. Gregory Dobson, pastor, will be the celebrant. Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery with full military honors being accorded by the Allegany American Legion Ritual Team. Memorial donation may be directed to the Urology Department of Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Sts, Buffalo, NY 14263, the Olean General Hospital Nursing Department or to the Hinsdale Fire Department. Online condolences may be expressed at oleanfuneralhome.com.