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Cowen, Perle S.
Perle S. Cowen, 60, of Iowa City, died Wednesday, July 14, 2010, at her home surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 17, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. There will be a time of visitation one hour before and following these services at the funeral home. Burial will be at Ridgewood Cemetery in North Liberty, with her family present.
Memorial donations can be made in her memory to the College of Nursing, c/o University of Iowa Foundation, Iowa City, Iowa.
Online condolences may be sent for her family through the Web at
Perle was born March 12, 1950, in Creston, Iowa, the daughter of M. Earl and Edith M. (Gibson) Slavik. Her family moved to Des Moines, where she graduated from Valley High School. She went on to receive her RN degree from Kirkwood Community College, her BSN from Mount Mercy College, and her MSN and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. Perle has been associated with the College of Nursing at the University of Iowa for many years as an associate professor. Throughout her professional career she received numerous recognitions and awards, including those in pediatric nursing, Crisis Nursing program, and the Iowa Chapter of the NCPCA. Perle was an inspirational teacher who affected the lives of many of those around her. Her research focused on child abuse and maltreatment in which she authored numerous grants, research publications and book chapters. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Iowa City.
As an advocate for those most in need, she spent a lifetime trying to help. Perle loved life in so many ways, her flowers in the garden, as an avid reader and writer, her sense of humor with that laugh, and being a good friend to many. Perle gave with so much love and passion to her world around her. She will be greatly missed.
Perle's family includes her two daughters, Jessica P. Cowen of Austin, Texas and Leah Cowen of Iowa City; her former husband, Dr. Howard Cowen of Iowa City; and her beloved dog, Charlie, and his many predecessors.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and an infant son, Jacob Samuel Cowen.
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