Rev. William Marsden "Bill" Cowans

1931 - 2016

William "Bill" Marsden Cowans

11/07/1931

11/03/2016

The Reverend William "Bill" Marsden Cowans was born on November 7, 1931, in Redlands, CA and passed away at his home on November 3, 2016, after a two year battle with melanoma. Bill will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Bill was preceded in death by the love of his life and his wife of 48 years Jane Anne Cowans, his parents William Cowans and Agnes Eleanor Mary Cowans and his sister Margaret Stern.

He is survived by his daughters Malia Oswald (husband Michael), and Charlotte Whipple (husband Chuck), grandchildren Ryan Oswald, Kali Eriksen (husband Jon), Courtney Martineau (husband John), Russell Whipple and Wyatt Whipple, la nieta Melissa Moreno and great-grandson Azariah Trevino.

Bill graduated high school from Harvard School in North Hollywood, CA in 1950. He attended Pasadena City College and Occidental College before enlisting in the Navy in 1953 where he became an Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class stationed at NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor Hawaii. After his discharge from the Navy in 1957, he attended San Diego State where he received his BA in History in 1958. He then decided to go into the Episcopal ministry and attended Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA, where he received his Master of Divinity. After his ordination in 1961, Bill served as curate at St. Marks, Palo Alto CA (1961-1963), vicar at St Thomas, Rodeo CA/St. Marks, Crockett, CA (1963-1967) and served the rest of his ministry at St. Thomas, Sunnyvale, CA where he retired in 1995.

In May 1954, Bill married Jane Anne Jones. They raised their daughters Malia and Charlotte in the Bay Area, retired to Redding, CA in 1995 and enjoyed 48 years of marriage until Jane's death in 2002.

Bill had many interests in addition to his ministry: sailing, airplanes, woodworking, weaving and computers. He explored them all with enthusiasm and energy. His sense of humor and warmth will be greatly missed by those who knew him.

A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Sunnyvale on January 14, 2017 at 1:00pm. Donations may be made to "Our Daily Bread", 231 Sunset Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94086.