McGOWAN, BANKS

Posted by Cathy on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 at 05:44:53 :

Independent Journal
Monday, October 29, 1979

JAMES P. McGOWAN

James Patrick McGowan, Mill Valley’s police chief for 25 years, died early this morning at a local convalescent home.

He was 88.

He was born in Milltown, Calaveras County, and lived in various central California and Sierra Nevada towns. He moved to San Francisco in 1907.

He moved to Marin in 1910 and worked as a ticket collector and brakeman for Northwestern Pacific Railroad. In 1920, he became conductor on the run to Willits.

In 1928 he left the railroad to become Sausalito’s town marshal. During Prohibition, the ferries and the railroad paid the marshal’s salary. The town would sometimes need 50 officers to keep the peace over three-day holidays.

He became chief of the three-man Mill Valley Police Department in 1937. The city had its own jail and circuit judge. The police officers even painted the stripes on the streets. McGowan acted as clerk of the court.

When he retired in 1961, the department had grown to 11 officers.

He was an avid gardener and athlete. He participated in boxing, wrestling and judo at various times.

His mottos were “We handle everything. We back up from nothing.” And “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

“He was dedicated. He couldn’t do too much for the town,” said Lt. Robert Dyche, remembering the former chief.

McGowan was a member of the California Peace Officers Association and the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Association.

He is survived by his wife, Mable McGowan of Mill Valley; two sons, James E. McGowan of Larkspur and Mickey McGowan of San Rafael; a daughter, Noreen Banks of San Carlos; and four grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 2 p.m. Tuesday to noon Wednesday at the Russell and Gooch Funeral Chapel, Mill Valley. A private family funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon. Burial will be at Mount Tamalpais Cemetery, San Rafael.

The family prefers memorial gifts to a favorite charity.