We are all deeply saddened by the sudden passing of former EAC Director Anne McGowan on March 7, 2015. A celebration of life is scheduled for April 12; see details below.
Former EAC Executive Director Michelle Covi, who worked closely with Anne for years, contributed this tribute:
One of the first people I met when I moved to Normal Illinois in 1995 was Anne McGowan. Although I had secured a couple of part time jobs teaching at Bradley University and the newly opened Heartland Community College, I was interested in connecting with like-minded people and was intrigued by the earth flag flying at the house next to the Normal Public Library. When I entered the center, I was greeted with a hearty welcome and an open heart.
Anne McGowan’s bright smile, warmth and engaging personality set the tone for the early years of the Ecology Action Center. She was the bridge between the beginnings of the organization as Operation Recycle and its metamorphosis into the organization it is today. Her boundless optimism and enthusiasm inspired many a volunteer to give more of themselves than they originally had planned.
One of Anne’s greatest skills was seeing the potential in people and helping to make connections that benefited everyone. Like many of the original staff members of the EAC, Anne started as a volunteer. In the 1970s Operation Recycle was an all-volunteer effort that Anne played an important part in getting off the ground. After she became its environmental education director, she recruited volunteers to help transform the Hewitt House into a place for the EAC. Anne recruited Illinois Wesleyan students she met on campus to create many of the signature art pieces in the EAC, such as the paper mache tree in all four seasons and the aquatic mural.
Anne was a catalyst for action. She was energetic and never hesitated to get her hands dirty. Her natural curiosity and love of the natural world fueled her passion for wildlife exploration and preservation. She shared her love with children and adults alike when she conducted nature walks, wildflower walks, and nature programs. She inspired and nurtured life-long dedication to environmental awareness and conservation in children, college students, and adults whose lives she touched.
Anne McGowan was a friend, mentor and inspiration to me, as I know she was to many others. Without her tireless dedication, skill for getting the most out of volunteers, and generosity with her time and talents, the EAC would not be the place that it is today. Anne was truly the heart of the EAC.
Dr. Michelle Covi worked for the Ecology Action Center from 1996-2007 and served as executive director following Anne McGowan. She is now faculty of practice in the Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and leads the Climate Adaptation and Coastal Resilience program for Virginia Sea Grant.
A Celebration of the life of Anne Weston McGowan is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 12, at the Young Main Lounge on the Illinois Wesleyan University Campus with a reception to follow. In preparing for this event, we ask for your help with the following:
- Please submit any photos of Anne for use in her celebration to Michael Brown at the Ecology Action Center or email to [email protected]. Please include an approximate date and caption if possible;
- We are compiling a list of Anne’s impacts and accomplishments in the community. Please submit items for this list to EAC Vice President Charlotte Brown at [email protected];
- Please make suggestions for a permanent community memorial for Anne. Please share your ideas with Michael Brown at [email protected].
In tribute to Anne, the EAC has renamed one of our two annual awards in her memory. We are now accepting nominations for the Anne McGowan Making a World of Difference Award and the McLean County Recycling Award. Help us honor Anne’s memory by nominating an environmental project that is improving our local community. If we all follow the outstanding example Anne set for us, the world will be a much better place. Deadline for nominations is March 29; recipients will be announced at the Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo on April 11.
Donations in Anne’s memory may be made online or by sending a check to the Ecology Action Center at 202 W College Avenue, Normal, IL 61761. Please indicate that this is a memorial donation in memory of Anne McGowan.
