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| Jim Cowles |
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March 30, 1921 - January 22, 2010 |
Burlington, Iowa
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Rollin James Cowles III, 88, of Burlington, died at 1:20 AM Friday, January 22, 2010, at the Great River Hospice House in West Burlington.
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Born March 30, 1921, in Burlington, he was the son of Rollin James and Ruth Whitlatch Smith Cowles. On April 1, 1945, he married Betty Irene Miller at Oak Street Baptist Church in Burlington.
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Jim worked as a veterinarian at the Burlington Veterinary Hospital on Mt. Pleasant St. from 1950 to 1976. He was also Administrator of the Des Moines County Department of Public Health from 1976 to 1986.
He was a 1939 graduate of Burlington High School. He attended Iowa State University obtaining his graduate degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 1950.
He served in the Iowa National Guard with the 113th Calvary from 1941 to 1946.
Jim was involved in numerous organizations including the Burlington School Board, Iowa Wesleyan College Board, President of the United Nations of Southeast Iowa, Chairman of the Sierra Club Leopold Group from 1960 to 2001, and an advisor for many trips taken by the Boy Scouts of America/Explorer Post. He was founder of Planned Parenthood of Southeast Iowa, and served as chairman at the Senior Center. He performed service work at more than 40 locations, building homes for Habitat for Humanity and repairing trails for the US Forest Service, the National Park Service, the American Hiking Society, the Sierra Club, and The Nature Conservancy in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Puerto Rico, Wales, and the US Virgin Islands. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi and Alpha Zeta. Activities that Jim enjoyed with his wife, Betty, were attending educational programs through Elderhostel, Shakespeare plays, as well as square dancing and ballroom dancing. He enjoyed attending monthy breakfast meetings of the Class of 1939 and co-hosted the annual reunion, usually held at their home on Ferres Lane.
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Survivors include his wife, Betty; his six children, Jamie Cowles, a physical therapist, of Madison, WI, Catherine (Bruce) Bosley, Director of Fort Morgan Library, of Brush, CO, Annastacia (David Dobson) Cowles, a nurse practitioner at Planned Parenthood, of Burlington, Christina (Michael Collentine) Cowles former attorney/minister, of Burlington, David (Anita) Cowles, works with National Outdoor Leadership School, of Lander, WY, and Molly Smith, a former preschool teacher, of Rochester, MN; 15 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather, and one brother, David Cowles.
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As per Jim's request, there will be no visitation or services.
Cremation has been accorded.
The Graveside Committal Service and Inurnment will be held at a later date in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for Boy Scouts of America, and Planned Parenthood of Southeast Iowa. Contributions may be left at the Hass-Thielen Funeral Home or mailed to the family at 5256 Ferres Lane, Burlington.
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