IAN BRUCE COWAN

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our husband and father, Ian Bruce Cowan (Lt. Col. retired), who died peacefully on Sunday, February 1, 2026. Ian was born in Ottawa on July 27, 1943, the son of Marjorie and Ralph Johnston. At the age of six, he moved with his family to a farm on the Rideau River in Manotick. He attended High School in Osgoode, Algonquin College in Ottawa, Acadia University in Nova Scotia, and Queen's University, Kingston. In 1966, he married Janice Cowan in Perth, Australia, while both were on working holidays in that country. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on January 8, 2026. Ian will be deeply missed by his three children, Angus (Heather), in Montreal, Kyra (Fred) in Frankfurt, Germany, and Hamish (Becca) in Burlington; his grandchildren, Alec, Lachlan, Quentin and Charlotte; and his sisters, Gail (Steve) and Judie. Older brother, Richard, died in December 2020. Ian joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1967, retiring 29 years later. He enjoyed a varied and exciting career, teaching mathematics at Royal Military College in Kingston; Flight Commander of 416 Squadron, flying on the CF 101 Voodoo in Chatham, New Brunswick; Base Intelligence Officer in Baden-Baden, Germany at the height of the Cold War; and Air Defence Attaché in Moscow from 1991 to 1994, witnessing the collapse of the Soviet Union. After retiring from the RCAF, Ian joined the McGill University Faculty of Management, working in both Russia and Central Asia. Later, after moving back to Canada, he became Director International Corporate Training for the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary. A gathering to celebrate Ian's life will be held at Dodsworth and Brown Funeral Home, 2241 New Street, Burlington, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 14th. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the ALS Society of Canada.