On June 17, 2024 at 10:50pm, Brian Duncan Cowan, a loving father, grandfather, and friend to many passed away in Sacramento, California.

He was born in Silver City, New Mexico on October 22, 1945 to his parents Earle Albert Cowan and Alma Mae Duncan Cowan. He spent the first few months of his life living in Bayard, New Mexico with his Aunt Pearl Cowan Talley and Uncle George Talley.

Brian and his parents moved to Johannesburg, Kern County, California in 1946 where his parents worked at the U.S. Naval Ordinance Test Station (Naval Air Weapons Station) at China Lake, California. They eventually moved into base housing and lived in homes on Hornet, McIntire and Rowe Streets, where Brian spent his childhood years.

As a young boy, Brian always looked forward to going back to New Mexico in the summer and staying with Aunt Pearl and Uncle George and playing with Russel Hyde (Cousin) during the summer days, including playing baseball with Russel for the Bayard baseball team. Nothing was safe when Brian and Russell had their BB guns, including themselves. Brian also enjoyed fishing with his Uncles George and Bill (who he called Wild Bill) on Lake Roberts and Elephant Butte.

Brian always said he had an incredible life as a kid with his lifelong friends growing up in China Lake and Ridgecrest, a few including Tom Carter (TC), Raymond Kelso (Kelso), Nick Hopper (The Frog), Don McNeill (Squeaky) and Steve Martin. He loved hunting, fishing, and playing sports including archery (China Lake Archery Club), Little League Baseball and trap/skeet shooting. While attending Sherman E. Burroughs High School, he was in the Letterman's Club (baseball and football). He also was a member of the A Cappella Choir but didn't talk too much about that. He and his buddies graduated with the Class of 1963 from Sherman E. Burroughs High School, Ridgecrest, California. After graduation, Brian (who was also known as Calhoon) had several jobs in his life before his career in social work including being a partner in a men's clothing store (Town & Country, Ridgecrest), a contractor (worked for Tex Whitson - another lifelong friend), a copper smelter operator (Hurley, New Mexico), a car salesman (Bud Eyre Chevrolet, Ridgecrest), a soda ash processor (Trona, California), and a commercial salmon fisherman & logger (Washington).

While Brian was attending California State University, Sacramento to become a social worker, he met his future wife and partner of over 30 years Lynn Schuyler Herron, who was completing her Master's of Science in Counseling. Shortly after they both completed their programs in 1987, they moved to Redding, California where Brian worked as a social worker for Shasta County, California. While in Redding, Brian and his family spent a lot of their free time in Trinity Center fishing, hunting and enjoying the outdoors.

In 2000, Brian's wife had a new job opportunity in Reno, Nevada. Shortly after their move to Reno, they made a new home for themselves and their pets on Viento Way, where they spent many happy years together. They also became part of the "Viento Way Family", who are a group of wonderful friends that lived on the Viento Way cul-de-sac. It was the Viento Way Family (Chuck, Trudy, and John Gerlich; Linda May; Jeff and Sally White; Jose Garcia) who loved and helped care for Brian and Lynn in their later years. Following Lynn's passing in October 2021, Brian moved to Sacramento, California and spent his final years with his son and his family.

Brian was predeceased by his parents, Earle Albert Cowan (from Las Cruces, New Mexico) and Alma Mae Duncan Cowan (from Central, New Mexico) and his wife and life partner of over 30 years, Lynn Schuyler Herron (from Las Vegas, Nevada). Brian is survived by his son, Mark Edward Cowan, his daughter-in-law Nicolasa Cowan and his granddaughter Emily Pearl Cowan, who he affectionally called his Sweetheart and sometimes his Gnat.

Brian was loved by his family until the very end and we were fortunate to celebrate Father's Day together, the day before he passed. He will forever be remembered for his great laugh and always making other people laugh.

Brian will be taken back home to Silver City, New Mexico and inurnment will occur at Memory Lane Cemetery next to his parents.

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