Obituary: Brian McGovern, 37, Formerly Of Orange

Brian Patrick McGovern, 37, of New Haven, passed away at home surrounded by his family on November 1, 2022, after his brave fight with cancer. Born on February 17, 1985, in New Haven, Connecticut, Brian was the son of Patrick and Rosemary McGovern.

Along with his parents, Brian leaves behind his fiancé, Amanda Martinelli, his brothers, Michael McGovern(Brittany) and Terrance “Terry” McGovern; nieces, Claire and Sarah McGovern; Babchi, Stephanie Nitowski; beloved dog, Espresso Bean; and extended family and friends.

Standing at a towering 6’5”, Brian — the gentlest of giants — has always dominated life. He had a calming peacefulness about him that people loved to be around. His huge, bright, genuine smile lit up the room and drew people to him. They stayed because of his kindness, understanding, and the way he made conversation so easy and enjoyable. He was a friend to all.

He was an athlete who excelled as an all-star baseball pitcher, played soccer, and earned his black belt in Tang Soo Do karate. He kept himself in superb shape with daily exercise.

Brian had many passions and interest but his true love was music. He was first and foremost an avid drummer who loved to jam with his friends and played in bands throughout his life. Music brought Brian immense joy and was his primary channel of creativity. He took drumming very seriously, studied other drummers and was an autodidact double bass drummer and bass player. Brian loved every genre of music. He would constantly practice jazz, rap, funk, and rock and roll. Some of his favorite musicians and bands were Miles Davis, James Brown, Tool, Rush and Steely Dan.

He loved to be outside surrounded by nature with Amanda and Espresso alongside him- it was where he could be fully at peace. Together they ventured to several National Parks, with a goal to making it to all of them. Reaching snow at Mount Rainier was one of the highlights of his travels among many, many other adventures. Brian loved all senses of the Earth including the smell in the woods, especially after it rained. He enjoyed sunsets on his deck while watching the Red Sox with the love of his life. He was a strong and vocal supporter of our environment.

Brian was a lover of all dogs, but his Ottoman and Espresso Bean had his heart. He loved all good things in life, especially food and reading. Brian truly had a way with words. He was well read and always the most intelligent man in the room. He was always reading many books, simultaneously, to keep himself engaged. His favorite author was Neil Gaiman, particularly his Sandman series.
Brian always made sure he took care of his family first. He was selfless in making sure they had everything they needed. He was the very best partner to navigate the world with — from a sous chef in the kitchen to a partner in crime when they traveled together. Brian could make Amanda laugh more than anyone on this planet. He was in tune with and could express her feelings better than she could herself. He was understanding, kind, strong, and passionate, and in simply living his life so beautifully, he demonstrated to Amanda how to live hers.

Brian McGovern loved deeply and was deeply loved. He was humble and gracious. His beauty, love, intellect, creativity, and passion for life made him a unique person who will be dearly missed and never forgotten.

Brian was raised in Orange, CT, where he graduated from Amity High School. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, prior to graduating from Southern Connecticut State University. While at SCSU he traveled to Guatemala to support the local population with civic projects.

After college graduation he worked at Apple in both New Haven and Seattle, where he worked in sales, presented workshops, and was recognized by his peers for his kindness and patience when working with customers. He also produced instructional video on YouTube about Apple products. Most recently, he was employed at Yale New Haven Hospital in their communication technology department.

Friends and family may call from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 6, 2022, at the CODY-WHITE FUNERAL HOME, 107 BROAD ST., MILFORD, CT. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Glioblastoma Foundation and/or The Nature Conservancy