Judith Smith-Cowan, 67, Colorado
Judith Louise (Fritz) Smith-Cowan, age 67, of Littleton, Colo., and formerly of Des Moines, and Glenwood, died Nov. 28, 2008, at her Colorado home. Memorial Services will be held at the First Congregational Church in Glenwood at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009, with burial in the Glenwood Cemetery. Following the services, a time of fellowship with the family will be held at the Glenwood American Legion Hall.
The eldest of two children of Virginia Louise (May) Fritz and Homer Douglas Fritz, she was born at her parent’s home in Cedar Rapids, on Nov. 2, 1941. In 1942, her family moved to Glenwood; returning to live near her extended family, and her parent’s Mills County roots. In 1944, she became a big sister to her sibling, Pamela Dee.
She spent her youth in Glenwood. She attended school, made lifelong friends, and did her growing up there. She graduated from Glenwood Community High School in 1959. Following graduation, she attended Barnes Beauty College in Council Bluffs, where she received her degree, and worked as a beautician in Council Bluffs, Glenwood, and later, in Iowa City. It was while she lived in Glenwood that she met her future husband James E. Smith.
On July 21, 1963, she married Mr. Smith at the First Congregational Church in Glenwood, where she and her family were members. They made their first home in Glenwood, and then moved to Iowa City. There, their family grew, with the addition of two beloved children, Robert Fritz Smith (1965) and Suzanne Louise Smith (1968). The family spent some time living in Davenport, and again in Iowa City, before making a big move to Arvada, Colo., where they lived for about two years. Then, after moving to Loveland, Colo., and living there for about two years, Mrs. Smith gave birth to her precious son Cody James (1977). Shortly after Cody was born, the family moved back home to Iowa, where they settled in Carlisle.
Mrs. Smith had held several part time jobs over the years, such as in-home day care, selling Avon and jewelry, and working at Sears, Younkers, and several flower shops. It was around this time, however, when she started working full time in Des Moines. Her first full time job was with American Mutual Insurance as a life insurance clerk. In 1981, she began working as a marketing consultant for Dial Financial, which was eventually purchased by Norwest and finally, Wells Fargo. Several years later, she and her husband were divorced, and she moved from Carlisle to Des Moines. She started attending college courses at night to help further her education as well as to advance in her position at Wells Fargo. She was eventually made a writer in the department and went on to receive the employee of the month award an unprecedented three times. It was during this period in her life that she met Jerry Dale Cowan.
On Feb. 12, 1999, after a 12-year courtship, they were married at their home in Des Moines. Her family grew to include her new husband’s two grown children, Jeff Cowan of Eden Prairie, Minn., and Cathy Cowan McCauley, of Estherville, and his six grandchildren. The couple continued to live in Des Moines until her retirement from Wells Fargo in 2001. Then they moved to Cape Coral, Fla. They later moved to Laurie, Mo. at the Lake of the Ozarks and eventually settled in Littleton.
Mrs. Cowan enjoyed decorating, cooking, shelling, gardening, photography, music, entertaining, traveling, dancing and sunsets. Her proudest accomplishment was being the mother of her three beautiful and kind children. She was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society, and was a member of the Carlisle P.E.O. Chapter NT. She was a loving, modest, compassionate, funny, intelligent, beautiful and inspiring person. Her inner strength and determination were nothing short of astounding. For nearly six years she refused to give up her fight against her metastasized breast cancer. She persevered and fought through adversity and pain over and over again so that she could live life to the fullest, and spend more time with her loved ones.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her Aunt Vernelle “Bobbie” May Roll Lincoln; and her grandparents Ralph and Lela May; and Bert and Pearl Fritz. She is survived by her husband of eight years, Jerry Cowan of Littleton; her children, Robert Fritz Smith and wife Susan of Kansas City, Mo.; Suzanne Louise Smith McGarry and husband Jack of Morrison, Colo.; and Cody James Smith and wife Amy of Des Moines; five grandchildren; her sister Pamela Dee Hostetter-Oldaker of Glenwood; her stepchildren Jeff Cowan; and Cathy McCauley; her first husband, Jim Smith; six step-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews; many cousins and relatives; and numerous wonderful friends.
Hertz Funeral Home of Glenwood is in charge of the memorial services.