AUGUSTA, Maine — Paul McGowan, a state representative who saw his signature cancer study legislation passed into law last year, died unexpectedly at his home on Sunday.

The 67-year-old Cape Neddick resident recently had announced that he would not be seeking re-election because of increasingly worrisome health trouble, the exact nature of which was unknown even to him, according to a July 15 report by the New Hampshire-based SeacoastOnline website.

“I am really sorry I have had to make this decision. It’s been a real struggle in my mind,” McGowan wrote in a letter to the secretary of state, quoted by the website. “But there’s some uncertainty about what this [medical condition] is, and I wondered about whether I can do the job.”

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“For those of us who had the honor to serve with Paul, he will be remembered for his unwavering passion and conviction,” said House Speaker Mark Eves, D-North Berwick. “He was a strong and clear voice for his constituents and the people of Maine. His advocacy on behalf of cancer prevention and health care truly made a difference in our state. He will be deeply missed by so many.”

http://bangordailynews.com/2014/07/28/politics/state-house/first-term-rep-paul-mcgowan-dies-unexpectedly/