Lawrence Oscar Cowger

Lawrence “Larry” Oscar Cowger was born on March 27, 1952, and October 27, 2025 at the age of 73. He was in hospice at the time.

Larry was born at Carneal Hospital, in Winamac, Indiana. His birth happened just two weeks after his family had moved to a rented farm in Kouts, Indiana. He was baptized into the Catholic Church, and chose the confirmation name of Thomas. He had several exhibits in 4H and was a Junior Leader.

In 1966 his parents purchased a farm in Walkerton, Indiana, and moved there. The schools there had consolidated and renamed John Glenn High School, where Larry graduated in 1970. Larry’s class was the first to graduate from the JGHS building. He was a member of The Future Farmers of America and played on their basketball team, playing against other FFA school chapters. Some of his hobbies back then included HAM radio operating, and using an amateur weather forecaster kit to predict and keep track of the weather. He was a hard worker on the family farm.

After high school, he worked at Knecht’s Elevator, then Bethlehem Steel. Larry was a motorcycle enthusiast. He took 13 months off of work to tour the Western United States on his motorcycle. He later competed in some motocross races.

On October 13 of 1981, he enlisted in the Army and served four years. He served in big artillery and as a tank mechanic. He was stationed in Germany with two other servicemen to work on the then new Bradley Tank, and re-write the repair manual. While there, he reported he could sometimes see over the Berlin Wall, which was still intact, then, separating East and West Germany.

Larry preferred warmer weather, and moved to Florida. He worked as a tree trimmer near Orlando, and was sent for 15 days with a crew to Coral Gables, Florida, when Hurricane Andrew damaged the area. There, he worked 16 hour days to clear trees off of the roads, sleeping on the floor of a Howard Johnson hotel.

After getting shocked a few times from some lightning strikes in his tree trimming and removal work, he switched to a job putting in electrical power. He helped put in some large power stations for hospitals, and the electrical work for some added sites at Universal Studios Theme Park.

Larry enjoyed nature, as well as getting away from crowded areas. He would often live “the van life.” In his retirement years, he lived in a downtown Orlando apartment.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Patricia Cowger, and his sister, Judith (Edward) Kamykowski. Larry is survived by his three brothers: David (Brenda) Cowger, John Jr (Joyce) Cowger, and Patrick (Sally) Cowger. He also has dozens of loving and caring cousins, and several nephews and nieces.

The family is planning a private ceremony in Florida for Larry. Condolences are welcome to be posted on this Legacy website. Family are welcome to reach out to Larry’s brothers John and Patrick, for any further communication or questions.

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