COWAN, COUNCIL R.

Council R. Cowan, 85, of Bethlehem, passed away Monday, Jan. 12, 2009, in his home. He was the husband of the late Lois J. (Balla) Cowan, who died in 1998. Born in China Grove, N.C., he was a son of the late Varner and Irene (Cooper) Cowan. He was employed by the Carolina Theater, Lexington, N.C., in 1939. In 1942, he began his career with Kresge Co., which later became K-Mart Corp. He retired as regional supervisor of the Northeast Region in 1988, after 45 years with the company. During World War II, he served in the Marine Corps and earned a Purple Heart Medal. He participated in the South Pacific Theater, and Okinawa and Bougainville campaigns. Council was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church, Bethlehem, where he was a past church council president.

Survivors: Son, Mark and his wife Zoeanne of Allentown; daughter, Karen and her husband Rev. Andrew Borden of West Boylston, Mass.; sister, Onzell Bradshaw of Tarboro, N.C.; five grandchildren, Christopher, Dana, Lynn, Elyse, Krystal. He was predeceased by a brother, William Varner Cowan, and sisters, Mary Elizabeth Cowan and Mildred Bair.