Thomas COWAN

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COWAN: Thomas Arthur Cowan was born on the farm near Hartney, Manitoba on June 21, 1932. He passed away peacefully at the Souris Health Centre on March 12, 2020 at 87 years of age. Art attended Hartney School, and completed his grade twelve at United College of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He then went on to continue his education there. Art married Reta Janet Robson on April 11, 1953 at Bethel Church in Deleau, Manitoba. Art and Reta farmed the original homestead SW 32-6-22 as the third generation of Cowans. He was recognized as the zero till farmer of the year in 1992. Art’s love of community motivated him to serve as Reeve of the Cameron municipality for 25 years. During that time of service he was involved in the building and establishment of the Town Hall, Hartney Community Rink, and the Hartney Health Centre (personal care home). He enjoyed participating on various boards including the Surface Rights Board of Manitoba, Souris and Glenwood Hospital Board, and the Pool Elevator in Hartney. Art enjoyed sports and had fun playing and coaching different teams. He was part of the Hartney Ball Team, the Grande Clairiere Ball team and the Manitoba Coyotes, slow pitch team. He played senior hockey and coached senior and minor hockey. He loved curling in many bonspiels. He remembers the bonspiels in Dauphin fondly. In addition to sports, Art loved to travel. He went to Egypt with a provincial government marketing trade mission, representing Prairieland Grain. Art and Reta enjoyed trips to California to visit his sister Kathleen and Gordon Freeman. For their fortieth anniversary, Art and Reta enjoyed exploring Australia together. The family remembers many fun summers camping at Madge Lake. Art is survived by his wife Reta Janet and his sister Geraldine Ames. As well as his five children, his daughter Kay Cowan, son Doug (Cathy) Cowan, daughter Debi (Kelvin) Jenkins, daughter Jani (Dale) McBurney, and son Bill (Nina) Cowan, his eleven grandchildren and twenty two great-grandchildren. His funeral was held in Harney at the Hartney Centennial Centre on March 17, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. His private interment will take place at Cowan Farms at a later date.Expression of sympathymay be made atwww.kowalchuks.net

As published in Brandon Sun on Mar 21, 2020