W. Howard Cowan
W. Howard Cowen, 94, of Camillus, died on Thursday, August 1st at Van Duyn Home and Hospital.
Born in Hobart, N.Y., he was the seventh child of Hector William and Annie Smith Cowan. He graduated from Hobart High School in 1926 and Colgate University in 1930. He also received a master’s degree from Syracuse University in 1936. He taught history in Vernon, Watertown, Mansville, and Solvay, NY and was a guidance counselor at West Genesee High School until his retirement in 1969.
Following retirement, he and his wife also served a year at the Vashti School in Thomasville, Georgia. For many years, they also lived in Arcadia, Florida. In 1937 he married S. Isabelle Bingham of Watertown, NY. While living there, he was an active member of Stone St. Presbyterian Church. He began a summer day camp in Watertown which continued for ten years. Later, he and his wife organized cross-country camping tours for another decade. They spent summers in Dexter, NY into his 90th year. In Camillus, he has been a leader in the First Methodist Church, a member of the school board, the Syracuse Peace Council, and Fellowship of Reconciliation; a host family for American Field Service exchange students in 1959 and 1962.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Isabelle Cowan, three daughters and their families: Judith and Ross Chaimson of Spotsylvania, VA; Polly and Donald Little of Newtown, PA; Sarah Cowan and Alice Krause of New York City; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild: Karen and Christopher Chaimson, Daniel and Derek Little, Lisa Little Butler, Alexandra and Sarah Cowan-Krause, and Aimee Green.
A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church Camillus at noon on Tuesday, August 6, 2002.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be given to the First United Methodist Church or Habitat for Humanity.