Sr. Mary Margaret McGowan, S.F.C.C., 66, of Grand Island, Nebraska, died Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at St. Francis Medical Center with her family at her side. Mass of the Christian Burial will be Monday, April 7, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Cathedral. The Rev. Richard L. Piontkowski Jr. will be the celebrant. Burial will be in the Kearney City Cemetery with a 2:00 p.m. committal service. Visitation will be Sunday, April 6, 2014, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Curran Funeral Chapel with a vigil service at 7:00 p.m. Curran Funeral Chapel is assisting the family. Sr. Mary Margaret was born August 4, 1947, at San Francisco, California. She was the daughter of Paul J. and Wauneta (Burns) McGowan. Survivors of the immediate family include her mother, Wauneta McGowan of Grand Island, NE Her Religious Community member, dear friend, and "adopted family member" Sr. Carlene Headrick, S.F.C.C. of Grand Island, NE Brothers and sisters-in-law, Jim and Jan McGowan of Puyallup, WA Larry and Barb McGowan of Schuyler, NE John McGowan of Denver, CO Mark and Kim McGowan of Grand Island, NE Steve McGowan of Windom, MN Matt and Jennifer of Iowa City, IA Brother-in-law, Matt Redman of Kearney, NE 18 nieces and nephews, 13 grand nieces and grand nephews Sr. Mary Margaret was baptized in Old Mission Delores Mission Church in San Francisco, CA. She moved with her family to Omaha, NE, in January of 1951 where she received her First Communion at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Omaha. In 1955 the family moved to Grand Island and she attended St. Mary's Grade School and later Grand Island Central Catholic, graduating in May of 1966. While in high school she developed and nurtured a love for the Fine Arts and Music. She was active in the school's yearly major production and, in her senior year, played Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music. She entered the Sisters of Saint Jospeh in Concordia, KS, and discovered and developed her lifelong love of parish ministry. In 1983, she joined the Sisters for Christian Community. She owned and operated Son-Shine Preschool, in Columbia, MO and Pooh's Place Preschool, in Grand Island. She was involved with Music Ministry at Blessed Sacrament and St. Mary's Cathedral and was Director of Parish Music and Liturgy for 17 years at St. Leo's; all parishes in Grand Island. She retired in July of 2013. Sr. Mary Margaret loved her family and the time spent with them. She had a keen memory for people's names and places where she had been, enjoyed traveling, and loved planning family events. She was a member of St. Leo's Catholic Church. She was preceded in death by her father, Paul J. McGowan, a sister, Mary Kay (McGowan) Redman, grandnephew, Wade Redman, grandparents, Tom and Marge McGowan and John and Catherine Burns. Memorials are suggested to Grand Island Central Catholic's Fine Arts'/Music Department in Sr. Mary Margaret's name. On-line condolences may be given and her video tribute viewed at under Sr. Mary Margaret's obituary.