Cover photo for Ralph Cowan's Obituary
Ralph Cowan Profile Photo
1936 Ralph 2021

Ralph Cowan

March 18, 1936 — August 23, 2021

Ralph Dugan Cowan died August 23, 2021.

Ralph was born March 18, 1936, in Kansas City, Kansas. He graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1954. That is where he met the love of his life, Deverl Simpson.

Ralph married Dee March 9th 1957. Their marriage lasted 61 years, ending with Dee’s death in 2018.

Ralph ran track at Northwest Junior High and Wyandotte. He held Wyandotte’s 100 Yd. low hurdle record receiving the A.W. Allen Trophy and was Kansas City, KS City Champion.

He would go on to create the Kansas City region Junior Olympics program.

Ralph became interested in motor racing when he was young and on weekends drove midgets throughout the Midwest for almost 20 years, while he worked to support his growing family during the week. He held an IMCA record at Olympic Stadium in Kansas City, MO.

Ralph moved the family from Kansas City Kansas in 1966 to Leawood, KS where they lived until moving to the LaCygne area where they built a house in 1983.

Ralph was a 3rd generation florist and worked in the family shop.  He later owned his own shops as well as an executive floral service. He sold Real Estate and had many sales jobs through out his life.  He spent many years self-employed as a manufacturer’s rep. in the restaurant and hospitality industries. Dee handled the records and accompanied him on business trips. At the time of his death, he led Cowan Associates, manufacturer’s reps, a family business with his two sons.

When Ralph was 43 he started weight lifting along with his son, and proceeded to live a healthy lifestyle. He ate healthy and worked out 3 days a week with weights and jogging. For 15 years, including this year when he turned 85, Ralph had posing photos taken on his birthday. Every year he gave family members bound volumes with the pictures and inspirational comments and quotes. For the past ten years he said each year would be the last, but the next year there would be a new book.

Ralph is survived by his four children, Cheryl Willis, Overland Park; Laura Kyle, Drexel; Ronald Cowan, LaCygne and Michael Cowan, Overland Park; four Grand Children and 3 Great Grandchildren.

Arrangements by Schneider Funeral Home.  Family only service, burial in Brooklyn Cemetery.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ralph Cowan, please visit our flower store.

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