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Virginia Lillian Finders Cowley

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Birth	:	17 Oct 1928 Ferguson, Marshall County, Iowa, USA
Death	:	20 Jan 2021 Ames, Story County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate	:	42.4716988, -92.3833008
Description	:	Virginia Lillian (Finders) Cowley, 92, a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, met her Savior face to face on January 20, 2021. She has traded her apron for a crown! Funeral service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, January 25, 2021 at Crossroads Baptist Church in Ames, Iowa. Burial will be held at 3:00 P.M. at Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery in Waterloo, Iowa. Born November 17, 1928, in Ferguson, Iowa, Virginia was the eldest daughter of Beulah Mae and James Bertram Finders. Her father, Bert, was known in town for handing out Gospel tracts and telling... Read More	Virginia Lillian (Finders) Cowley, 92, a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, met her Savior face to face on January 20, 2021. She has traded her apron for a crown! Funeral service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, January 25, 2021 at Crossroads Baptist Church in Ames, Iowa. Burial will be held at 3:00 P.M. at Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery in Waterloo, Iowa. Born November 17, 1928, in Ferguson, Iowa, Virginia was the eldest daughter of Beulah Mae and James Bertram Finders. Her father, Bert, was known in town for handing out Gospel tracts and telling everyone who would listen about the good news of salvation through Jesus. The seeds for evangelism were planted early in Virginia’s heart. She studied the Bible at Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN for two years. She then attended Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls and joined InterVarsity Christian Fellowship on campus. Talented in many ways, this dark, curly-haired beauty, caught the eye of many a suitor. The only man who won her heart was the tall, handsome Navy serviceman named Robert Cowley, who wanted to serve the Lord on the mission field, too. One evening at a college InterVarsity retreat, she told another boy the seat next to her was “saved”, hoping Robert would see the empty one next to her and come over. Her coy tricks eventually won her a walk down the aisle, with peonies in hand, to marry the love of her life on June 15, 1951. She also welcomed their first baby girl while Robert finished his electrical engineering degree studies at Iowa State University (ISU) in Ames. They soon moved to Chicago for aviation training at Moody Bible Institute. Virginia was busy leading Bible clubs for children in the city. She also welcomed their second baby, a boy, to a roach-infested apartment that was so tiny, they shared a bathroom with another couple. Virginia knew she’d signed up for a life of adventure when she surrendered her life to Christ, and the army of roaches were a good first test of her future in Africa. They welcomed yet another son just before setting sail on a trans-Atlantic ocean liner to Paris for language school, where they spent the next couple years. Another daughter was born in Paris. In 1960, the family then embarked on their “mission” to Africa, where Virginia wore many hats as the wife of a missionary pilot, mother, schoolteacher, dorm-mother, cook, listener, and many other countless roles of service. Another daughter, their fifth child, was born during this time. Her life’s ambition, which drove each day’s work, was to give people an opportunity to know Christ and surrender their life to him. She served on the African mission field (Niger, Mali and Ivory Coast) for 35 years before “retiring” to Ames, Iowa with her husband, for another 18 years of work with international students at ISU. Virginia was actively involved in the lives of ISU internationals through language immersion, Bible classes, logistical support and encouragement to these students, creating for them a “home” away from home. She knew the heart of Jesus begins with hospitality, so she opened her home to everyone she could. She worked diligently and tirelessly to bring the Gospel to people around the world in Ames. She will be a dearly missed wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandma. She is survived by her husband, Robert; her five children: Linda (Ronald) Banghart, Daniel (Priscilla), David (Cheryl), Judith (Philip) Schmidt, and Joyce (Daniel) Dreisbach; as well as 19 grandchildren and 39 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister and brother-in-law, Clyde and Glenna Speas; and several great-grandbabies.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Virginia Lillian Finders Cowley's memorial?
Virginia Lillian Finders Cowley's memorial is located at: Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA.
When did Virginia Lillian Finders Cowley death?
Virginia Lillian Finders Cowley death on 20 Jan 2021 in Ames, Story County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Virginia Lillian Finders Cowley's memorial?
Latitude: 42.4716988
Longitude: -92.3833008

Family Members:

Parent

James Bertram Finders

(1898 - 1980)

Beulah Mae Allen Finders

(1907 - 1973)

Siblings

Glenna Lucille Finders Speas

(1931 - 2017)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4716988, -92.3833008

2. Mount Olivet Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4594002, -92.3968964

3. Waterloo Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4742012, -92.3582993

4. Elmwood Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4916992, -92.3578033

5. Pet Haven Cemetery
Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4933187, -92.4118539

6. Calvary Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4991989, -92.3660965

7. Fairview Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5107994, -92.3503036

8. Orange Township Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4241982, -92.3657990

9. Saint Lukes Episcopal Church Columbarium
Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5153600, -92.4307200

10. Black Hawk County Cemetery
Evansdale, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4430200, -92.2931700

11. Sons of Jacob Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4839900, -92.2838040

12. Hillcrest Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4839270, -92.2826670

13. Muslim Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4838990, -92.2826380

14. Fairview Cemetery
Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5261002, -92.4602966

15. Faithful Friends Pet Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5508220, -92.3409370

16. Garden Of Memories
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5515310, -92.3378240

17. Greenwood Cemetery
Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5404260, -92.4557550

18. Hudson Cemetery
Hudson, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.3999000, -92.4657200

19. Washburn Cemetery
Washburn, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4139200, -92.2711700

20. Hillside Cemetery
Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5625000, -92.4452972

21. Cedar Valley Cemetery
Hudson, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4166444, -92.5057391

22. Mount Zion Cemetery
Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5299988, -92.2589035

23. Mount Vernon Cemetery
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5847015, -92.3806000

24. Zion Lutheran Cemetery
Hudson, Black Hawk County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4279100, -92.5292000