Mary Christina Mattan Cowan

1923 - 2020  (97 years)

• Name	Mary Christina Mattan Cowan
  Born	12 May 1923	Delia, Jackson County, Kansas
  Gender	Female
  Died	17 Aug 2020
  Buried	21 Aug 2020	Mount Calvary Cemetery, St. Marys, Pottawatomie County, Kansas
  Person ID	I9378	Rossville
  Last Modified	7 Feb 2021

  
  

  Father	Emil Mattan,   b. 1878,   d. 7 Sep 1949  (Age 71 years)
  Mother	Mary Louise VandeVelde Mattan,   b. 5 Jun 1884, Annawan, Henry County, Illinois ,   d. 26 Feb 1982, Rossville, Shawnee County, Kansas  (Age 97 years)
  Married	30 Oct 1906	Shawnee, Johnson County, Kansas
  Family ID	F6479	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Kenneth Vincent Cowan,   b. 23 Oct 1923, Delia, Jackson County, Kansas ,   d. 17 Apr 2003, Silver Lake, Shawnee County, Kansas  (Age 79 years)
  Married	12 Feb 1943	Delia, Jackson County, Kansas
  Children	+ 1. Diana Lynn Cowan Elevier,   b. 1947   2. Vicki Marlene Cowan Wilson,   b. 1950   3. Denise Marie Cowan Denton,   b. 1956   4. Mark V Cowan,   b. 10 Mar 1959
  Documents » Slide Show		Anniversary- Cowan, Kenneth and Mary 1 Ruby Celebration for Cowans Mary and Kenneth Cowan will be celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Saturday, February 12, 1983, at 4:30 p.m. at St. Stanislaus Church in Rossville. Following the Mass, the couple will host a dinner for their family a the Knights of Columbus Hall in Topeka. Kenneth Cowan and Mary Mattan were married February 12, 1943, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Delia, Ks. They are the parents of three daughters — Diane Elevier, Silver Lake, Vicki Wilson, Topeka, and Denise Denton, Silver Lake; and one son, Mark Cowan, Topeka. They have five grandchildren.
  		Anniversary- Cowan, Kenneth and Mary 2 Kenneth and Mary Cowan Kenneth and Mary Cowan, Silver Lake, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Silver Lake Senior Citizen Community Center, 404 Lake. Hosting the reception will be their children, Diane and Fred Elevier, and Denise and Tom Denton, Silver Lake; Vicki and Mike Wilson, Holton; and Mark and Jackie Cowan, Kansas City, Mo.; and their five grandchildren. Kenneth Cowan and Mary C. Mat tan were married Feb. 12, 1943, at Sacred Heart Church, Delia. Mr. Cowan retired from Santa Fe Railway general offices in 1983 after 42 years of service. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines.
  		Anniversary- Cowan, Kenneth and Mary 3 Cowans To Celebrate Golden Anniversary Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth V. Cowan will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception from two to four in the afternoon on Sunday, February 21, at the Silver Lake Senior Citizens Community Center, 404 Lake Street, Silver Lake. Hosting the occasion will be their children: Diane and Fred Elevier, Vicki and Michael Wilson, Denise and Tom Denton, and Mark and Jackie Cowan; and their five grandchildren. Kenneth Cowan and Mary Mattan were married February 12,1943 at Sacred Heart Church in Delia. Kenneth Cowan retired from Santa Fe General Offices in 1983, after 42 years service. He served in the U.S. Army in World War II in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines.
  Last Modified	7 Feb 2021 18:04:00
  Family ID	F1469	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Buried - 21 Aug 2020 - Mount Calvary Cemetery, St. Marys, Pottawatomie County, Kansas  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Documents

  Obituary- Cowan, Mary Christina Mary Christina Mattan Cowan May 12, 1923 - August 17, 2020 Mary was born on May 12, 1923 to Emil and Mary VandeVelde Mattan. She was born at home on the family farm northeast of Delia, Kansas where she was raised. She was the seventh of eight children. Mary attended grade school at Adrian Public School District 65, a one-room schoolhouse two miles west of the family farm home. She was a 1941 graduate of Delia High school. In 1942 Mary moved to Topeka, Kansas and worked at Capper’s Weekly Publication in the advertising and subscription department. While in Topeka she was courted by Kenneth Vincent Cowan and they were married February 12, 1943 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Delia, Kansas. Six days after their wedding Kenneth joined the U.S. Army and was sent to Indiantown Gap Military Reservation in Pennsylvania for training. Mary traveled by train from Topeka, Kansas to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in May 1943 to visit him. She stayed on base and in Jonestown, Pennsylvania for one month until Kenneth was sent to California for deployment to New Guinea. After which Mary returned home to stay with her parent’s and in-law’s until Kenneth returned in February 1946. After Kenneth returned from World War II they settled in Rossville, Kansas where they lived until 1984. There they raised four children – Diana born in 1947, Vicki born in 1950, Denise born in 1956 and Mark born in 1959. In 1984 Kenneth and Mary moved to Silver Lake, Kansas. Kenneth passed away in 2003. In 2017 Mary moved to The Healthcare Resort of Topeka. Mary was a member of the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church (Rossville) since 1947 and a former member of the church council, lay minister and lecture. She was a member of the Silver Lake Senior Citizens and a former board member. Mary was also a former member of the Silver Lake Community and XYZ clubs. In addition to being a wife, mother and homemaker Mary provided childcare for several years. Throughout her life she enjoyed dancing, card playing, gardening, and tending her flowers. Mary was a lady and the ultimate housewife, yet she could paint, refinish, upholster, ride a horse bareback, drive a team of horses, milk cows, feed livestock and perform many a household and farm chore. Most important to Mary was family and faith. She was a caring and loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, daughter, sister, and niece. Survivors include her children, Diana Elevier and Denise (Tom) Denton, Silver Lake, Vicki (Michael) Wilson, Holton, and Mark (Jackie) Cowan, Kansas City, Missouri; 5 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Mary was preceded in death by her parents and husband; brothers, Remi, August, Albert and Henry Mattan; sisters, Ann Tholl, Elizabeth Tholl and Louise VanDeWoestyne; and son-in-law, Fred Elevier. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 12:00 noon on Friday, August 21, 2020 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Rossville. Interment was in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, St. Marys. A public visitation was held on Thursday, August 20, 2020 from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. with a Rosary at 7:00 at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to Midland Hospice or St. Stanislaus Catholic Church and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple Street, St. Marys, Kansas 66536. To leave online condolences go to www.piperfuneralhome.com. Due to Covid 19 restrictions, everyone attending will need to wear a mask and practice social distancing.