In Memory of Ann Cowlham

Ann Cowlham, age 98, of Odebolt, Iowa passed away on Monday, September 30, 2019, at the Odebolt Specialty Care of Odebolt, Iowa.

A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 4, 2019, at the Trinity Lutheran Church of Odebolt, Iowa. Rev. David Viggers will officiate. Committal will follow in the Odebolt Cemetery of Odebolt, Iowa. A Visitation will be held prior to the service from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Friday, October 4, 2019, at the Trinity Lutheran Church of Odebolt, Iowa.  The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Odebolt, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com

Anna Helen Bruns was born May 19, 1921, the third child in a family of seven children to Theodore and Tollie (Gerdes) Bruns. She was baptized and confirmed at Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake, Iowa.

Ann attended country school until the eighth grade. After her schooling was complete, she went to confirmation school. She was employed as domestic help for farm families and children. She married Ralph Wayne Cowlham, a local farmer, on May 20, 1938, in Harlan, Iowa and they farmed in Sac and Clark Counties.

This union was blessed with two children: Audry and Ralph Jr. They raised their family on farms in the Odebolt area and later also lived in Murray, Iowa.

Ann enjoyed being a farm wife, helping her husband and helping other farm wives care for their children and their homes. She took in her mother into her home when Tollie became terminally ill with cancer and became the primary caregiver for her up until her mother’s death.  Later she became a nurse’s aide and worked in the hospital and in the nursing home in the Odebolt area.

She was an active member in church wherever she lived teaching Sunday school, attending Ladies Aid, and participating in sewing groups. She belonged to several card clubs and the Wheeler Improvement Club.

She enjoyed entertaining family and friends in her home. She loved cooking and fellowship.  She also enjoyed children immensely, caring for many in her home. Ann was an avid sewer who always had a project she was working on. She also loved to garden and grew beautiful flowers.

Those left to cherish her memory include: her daughter, Audry (Larry) Geyer of Grundy Center, Iowa; a daughter-in-law, Peg Cowlham of Odebolt, Iowa; grandchildren: Kelli (Kirk) Duff; John (Deb) Geyer; Brad Cowlham; Lisa Leroux; Jill (Dennis) Grote; Jason (Joan) Cowlham; Tim (Karla) Geyer; and Holly (Jason) Jirovsky; great-grandchildren: Cory (Alicia) Duff; Seth (Katlin) Duff; Abby (Zak) Renze; Jordan Knoepfel; Tom Geyer; Kristine Cowlham; Rebecca Grote; Michael (Kendra) Grote; Kara Cowlham; Jared Knoepfel; Rachelle Duff; Ashley Geyer; Katlyn Cowlham; Tyler Knoepfel; Adam Grote; Jacob Cowlham; Travis Geyer; William Grote; Daytona Geyer; Luke Geyer; Tate Jirovsky; Natalie Geyer; Judd Jirovsky; Trinity Jirovsky; and Gus Jirovsky. She was also blessed with four great-great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents and parents-in-law; husband, Ralph; son, Ralph Jr.; great-grandchildren Michael and Amanda Geyer and all of her siblings.