James Michael Kowsky

James Michael Kowsky, born April 20, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York, passed away on October 26, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona.
He lived life entirely on his own terms. He was warm, endlessly curious and armed with a mischievous sense of humor.
Jim, Jimbo, Jamie, James, Kow, Kow Man, The Kow, as he was known to friends, loved to shock people enough to make them laugh, and laughter followed him wherever he went. A reflection of his playful spirit, his home was filled with male and female mannequins that he dressed, named and posed as silent, co-conspirators in his delightfully unconventional worldview.
He took particular pride in being born on 4/20, which he believed gave him special status in cannabis culture. A master grower of marijuana from seed, he could roll a joint one-handed, even when neuropathy made it difficult for him to grasp a cup.
Jim dressed simply and comfortably--almost always in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops. He may have owned a tie at one time, but he had an extensive hat collection: bowler hats, baseball caps, berets, fezes and more. A hippie to the end, he hated cutting his hair and grew it as long as possible so he could donate it to Locks of Love. His long white beard, which he shaved off once every couple of years for a change of pace, made him resemble Santa Claus, a comparison he enjoyed.
He loved Day of the Dead art and religious symbolism and was deeply interested in mysticism yet remained grounded in science. He subscribed to astronomy magazines, had a large collection of telescopes and enjoyed observing the night sky. By day, he was a devoted bird watcher and frequently posted photos of birds and flowers on his Facebook page. He was sharp and well-read, which made him a formidable Scrabble player.
Widely believed to have been conceived on his brother's bar mitzvah, Jamie was a child when he and his family moved to Hollywood where they opened up "Tillie's Home Cooking" on Sunset Boulevard. The greasy spoon named after his mother became a favored hangout for aspiring actors, musicians and comedians. When he wasn't loading the dishwasher, flipping burgers or collecting cookies from his aunt and uncle's celebrated bakery on Fairfax Avenue, he was in Poinsettia Park learning how to play chess from the elderly Russian players or stirring up trouble with his buddies.
Jamie lived fully, freely and authentically. He will be remembered for his curiosity, humor and refusal to be ordinary. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him, including his beloved pit bull mix, Belly Lox.