Gary Elbert Cowen

Gary Elbert Cowen
January 30, 1951 – September 15th, 2017.

Gary passed away peacefully at his home in Elkhorn, Friday, September 15th at the age of 66, surrounded by the ones he loved the most in life; his wife Patricia of 42 years, his three beautiful daughters, his two loving son in-laws, his two energetic grandchildren and his devoted yellow lab by his side.

Gary was born the 4th of 6 children, to Howard and Wynette Cowen of Pacific Grove, graduated Pacific Grove High School in 1969. As child of the coastline; Gary enjoyed spending his childhood summers living and working at the family campground in Big Sur, later working as a Capitan at the California Department of Forestry and as a Bulldozer Operator for Granite Rock at Pico Blanco all while meeting his wife by chance while living on Old Coast Road.

Gary mastered many talents during is his short time with us. Co-owning and operated Tub Technics at the American Tin Canary in Pacific Grove constructing custom redwood hot tubs. Owned and operated Gary Gadgets a concrete construction company pouring concrete for residential and commercial customers. Later obtaining his General Contractors license building custom homes in the North County area with his company Cowen Construction.

Gary will forever be the keeper of our hearts, known as the man who could build a gadget to fix any problem, our pillar of strength & support, a loving husband and best friend, a father who taught his daughters to work beside him not behind him, a father in-law which calmed his son in-laws of the hot headed women in which he raised, a devoted grandfather who taught his grandsons to love tools and to help, and the best friend a man could have to his loving yellow lab, and the husband of a women met by chance and was married by fate for 42 years.

Gary is survived by his wife, Patricia Cowen of Elkhorn; daughters Sarah of Moss Landing, Quincy (Daniel Luna) of Prunedale, Jennifer (Michael Kulich) of Watsonville; grandsons, Zachary & Tyler, his beloved yellow lab Judge; parents, Howard and Wynette Cowen, two sisters, two brothers. Gary is preceded in death by his eldest brother Robert (Bob) Cowen and Sister in-law Jannette (Tootie) Trotter.

A celebration of Gary's life will be held at a later date.