Melissa Rae Cowan

Melissa (Mel) Rae Cowan, 18, of Beaman died with her loving family by her side on Monday September 28th, 2009 at Blank Childrens Hospital in Des Moines, after a courageous five year battle with cancer. Private family burial will be in Riverside Cemetery. There will be no visitation. A memorial celebration will be 2:00 p.m. Monday, October 5th at the Moose Lodge in Marshalltown. Memorials may be directed to the family. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. The Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Mel and her family, phone 641-844-1234. Mel was born June 7th, 1991 to parents Douglas and Kimberly (Hofert) Cowan in Iowa City. She lived in Marshalltown and then Beaman, where she attended GMG, graduating May 17th, 2009. Mel was a young woman of great strength, and many gifts. She enjoyed swimming, bowling, riding four-wheelers, surfing the internet, and texting her friends. She loved her horse Blake, playing with her dog Buster, and raising her goat named Donkey. Mels sense of humor, her smile, and the heart they revealed will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Left to celebrate Mels life and mourn her early departure is her dad Douglas (Jackie) Cowan, her mom Kimberly (Randy Daniel) Cowan; brother Charles Cowan, sister Libby Cowan; grandmothers Claudine Quillen and Mary Long; her aunts, uncles, and cousins; and her nephew Aiden, as well as many friends. In death, Mel has rejoined her great-grandmother Donna Humble, grandfather Richard Long, cousin Troy Brawner, and sister Shawna (1986).