William Cowan

William “Bill” Cowan 79, of Delran, New Jersey, passed away on December 12, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. Born on October 18, 1945, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Bill lived a life filled with adventure, laughter, and love. Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Marie Cowan; his son, Chris Cowan, and daughter-in-law, MargieWisniewska; and his blended family including Andrea, Paul, and Nora Johnson; Leslie Hulse; Gracy, Nigel, Sienna, and Gabriel Wynter; and Janie, Damian, Tobias, and Hannah Najenson. Growing up in Allentown with his older brother Jack and younger sister Barbara, Bill developed a passion for travel inspired by his father’s work with Bethlehem Steel. This wanderlust led him to adventures across the globe—from East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall to Croatia and Argentina. Bill’s professional life was as colorful as his personal one. A successful machine tool salesman, he balanced his love for technical intricacies with a greater love for life, opting for independent work over corporate roles. His fascination with the minutiae of his trade was evident in his habit of studying tiny machine parts under a magnifying glass. A proud Penn State alumnus, Bill never lost touch with his college buddies. He often regaled his family with tales of his adventures in Happy Valley along side Harvey Erenberg, Dave Zurndorfer, Warren Hartenstine, Charlie Bell, Jim O’Neill, John Beck, Bob Ross and the late Ed Cressman. Bill’s beach house in Strathmere became a hub of joy for many years, filled with an assortment of toys that reflected his kid-like spirit. You could often hear him exclaiming, “I’m 9 years-old!” in his own defense during playful tug-of-war sessions with his grandkids over toys. He loved kayaking at the beach and embraced the ocean as a cherished part of his life. This passion for the water harmonized beautifully with Marie’s background in her father’s marina business along the Delaware River. Throughout his life, Bill overcame numerous medical challenges while maintaining an unwavering optimism that touched everyone around him. His democratic values led him to volunteer enthusiastically for various causes, including door-knocking for Andy Kim in recent years. Bill loved engaging with people from different backgrounds and all walks of life and thoroughly enjoyed hearing and then sharing in turn their stories with others. In his later years, Bill found great joy working alongside his son Chris from his first marriage with Toni Raleigh (née Zeccardi), daughter-in-law Margie, and son-in-law Damian in the machine tool industry. Hes erved as a seasoned mentor to them all. His passion for business was matched only by his love for Marie, whom he never failed to praise for her beauty and charm. Bill Cowan will be remembered not just for his professional achievements but for his infectious optimism and storytelling prowess—often accompanied by ukulele—and his ability to uplift everyone he met. As Bill would say, he was “forever 9,” and his youthful spirit will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.