Robert Douglas Cowdery

Robert “Bob” Douglas Cowdery, a petroleum geologist, passed away on August 26, 2023. He was born on August 20, 1926 in Lyons, Kansas to Herman Rayburn Cowdery and Blanche Charles Cowdery. His grandfather, Jacob Andrew Cowdery, his wife, Abigail, and two-year old Herman came to Lyons, Kansas in 1886 after Jacob served in the Civil War. Bob is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mary Sue (Barlow) Cowdery; daughter, Patricia Lynn Drexler, and her husband Bill of Aurora, CO. He is preceded in death by sons, Brian Scott and Craig Douglas. He enrolled at Kansas State University in 1944, then in December of that year he enlisted in the army and after training was on his way to Taiwan when the A bomb was dropped on Japan. He then served in Honolulu as a Tech St. After his discharge in 1946 he returned to Kansas State and graduated in 3 years with a degree in Physical Science with a major in Geology in 1949. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi (an honorary scholastic fraternity), and Sigma Delta Epsilon (an honorary geological fraternity). In 1991 Bob received the Kansas State University Distinguished Service Award. Bob completed many courses in anthropology and business attending the University of Denver, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Butler Co. Community College and Wichita State University. After graduation he was employed by Cities Service Oil Company in Oklahoma City and Great Bend. Bob began working for Petroleum, Inc. in 1951 and continued for 38 years. He spent 22 years in the Denver area exploring for oil in the Rockies. In 1975 he moved to Wichita as the company exploration manager responsible for oil exploration in 11 states. In 1985 he servedPetroleum, Inc. as president and chief operating officer and retired in 1988. Bob was a member of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, Kansas Geological Society, a charter member of American Institute of Geologists, Kansas Geological Foundation, Society of Independent Earth Scientists, and a senior member of the Geological Society of America. He served as president and headed many committees of these professional organizations. In 1996 he was elected president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. At age 43 Bob began practicing martial arts and continued until age 83. He was very proud of receiving his 6th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do at Joon Yi Kim's Academy of Tae Kwon Do. He continued his interest in archaeology by working on several archaeological sites in 3 states, He belonged to several archaeological organizations. Bob was a member of Saint James Episcopal Church. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at Saint James Episcopal Church. Memorials gifts may be made in Bob's name to St. James Episcopal Church, 3750 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67208; Breakthrough Episcopal Social Services, P.O. Box 670, Wichita, KS 67201; and to the Kansas Geological Society Foundation, 1704 S. Baehr St., Wichita, KS 67209. Gratitude goes to all of the staff of Larksfield Place Health Care Center, especially Kelsey and Brad, for the special care given to Bob over the past 5 years and to Faith Hospice. Services in care of Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.