Jon Phillip Govreau

He was a builder of bridges and family relationships who faced the final stages of Parkinson's Disease with uncommon grace and dignity.

Jon Phillip Govreau, 86, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, passed away on Thursday, February 13, 2025. He was born on August 27, 1938, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and was the son of Adolph Govreau and Dorothy (Magre) Govreau. He is preceded in death by his wife of 30 years, Levie (Benton-Berry) Govreau, his brother, Adolph "Sonny" Govreau and his sister, Jeanne (Govreau) Picarella. He is survived by his stepdaughter, Laura Berry Evensen (husband Dale), their three children (his beloved granddaughters), Kaitlyn, Angelina and Ashlin, his stepson, Joe Robert Berry, Jr. as well as two brothers-in-law, L.J. Benton, Sr. and Joseph W. Benton.

Jon proudly served in the United States Marine Corp with the 3rd Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan and then attended the University of Missouri, earning a degree in Engineering. He retired from Massman Construction Company of St. Louis, Missouri as a lead engineer and supervisor of bridge construction projects throughout the country, never living in any one location any more than a few years. Achieving success wherever he went, one of the major honors of his career came when he was selected to an elite team of engineers entrusted to build one of the very first cable-stayed bridges in America, the Dames Point Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida.

Upon completion of that massive project Jon was assigned to Charleston to oversee the construction of the Isle of Palms Connector Bridge, linking the island to Mount Pleasant. The stoic engineer would now set up bachelor's quarters in yet another new town. Little did he know his quiet lifestyle was about to change - forever. Shortly after his arrival he met an attractive and vivacious Mt. Pleasant woman named Levie. His bachelor days would soon be a thing of the past. The quiet and reserved bridge builder was smitten with a woman who was anything but quiet and reserve. Her vast array of friends became his friends and suddenly he was cast into a spotlight he'd long avoided. He embraced every minute of it and was a stranger in a new town no more. They were an "Unforgettable" pair and danced to that very song at their wedding.

A fun-loving duo, Dunleavy's Pub on Sullivan's Island held a special place in their hearts. They have the distinction of being the pub's first two customers on opening day and are so honored there with a plaque. They shared a happy and fun-filled life together. Their unlikely love story could have been a screenplay for a comedic Tracy & Hepburn movie.

When Jon's zany co-star unexpectedly passed away fourteen months ago, he lost the high-octane fuel that propelled his engine. He was devasted but never let it show. His Parkinson's worsened and he was bound to a wheelchair but never lost his smile, even while facing his final months in an assisted living facility. He accepted everything that came his way with nary a complaint. His was a life full of patience, peace and faithfulness.

"Once a Marine. Always a Marine". Jon Govreau's morals, character and dignity was proof of that. The Corp's motto, Semper Fidelis, "always faithful", was not just a motto to him. He lived it - every single day - until his last.

A celebration of Jon's life will be held on Friday, February 28 from 5 fo 7 p.m. at McAlister-Smith ~ Mt. Pleasant, 1520 Rifle Range Rd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464, (843) 884-3833.

Expressions of sympathy may be submitted or reviewed online at mcalister-smith.com.

Services have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral and Cremation ~ Mt. Pleasant, 1520 Rifle Range Road, Mt. Pleasnt, South Carolina 29464, (843) 884-3833.