COWEN, Ian

Ian Walter Cowen was born in Lithgow, NSW, the proud son of power plant engineer Walter Lockhart Cowen and schoolteacher Agnes Jessie Johnston. He was predeceased by his sisters Joan and Ruth. Ian married the love of his life Roselyn Gay Coates in 1959. Together, they raised Jo-Anne (spouse Helen), Alyson (Jonathon) and Stuart and helped raise grandsons Joshua and Jordan Hourigan and Ashley Cowen. Family was the centre of Ian’s life – along with MG motorcars.

He worked hard as a motor mechanic and car salesman so that he and Gay could move their young family to Canberra in 1967. There he owned a suburban newsagency and later two city newsagencies before relocating to Surfers Paradise, where Ian and Gay managed a holiday highrise. They retired on the Gold Coast, where Ian was past president of the Broadbeach Rotary Club and a Paul Harris fellow. He was also an active member in the Gold Coast MG Car Club. In his 80s, Ian was still crawling under his 1959 MGA car and helping his mates upgrade theirs with a power steering technique he invented. He was also proud of the beautiful Robina garden he tended until the day before he died suddenly at home.

Ian’s memorial service will be held Thur. Mar. 10 at 1 p.m. at A Gentle Touch Funerals at 73 Railway St., Mudgeeraba, Qld, with a reception to follow nearby at The Village, 65 Railway St. Contact the family for the livestream link. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Gold Coast Project for Homeless Youth would be appreciated.