Raymond Cowan

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Raymond “Ray” Mark Cowan who left us peacefully in the early morning hours of October 6, 2026 at Woods Park Care Centre in Barrie, Ontario, where Ray called home for the past five years.  He will be forever missed by his children Lynn (Danny), Lisa (Brad) and Boyd (Sarah), his grandchildren Josh, Lauren (Kyle), Rebecca (Andrea), Spencer (Jess), Victoria (Shawn), and Connor, as well as his great grandchildren Zachary, Hannah, Blake, and Luke.

Ray is predeceased by his wife Margaret (Marg) and leaves behind his brothers Paul (Linda), Brian (Linda, deceased) and brother-in-law David Calder (Judy, deceased) along with his many nieces and nephews who he loved and cared for deeply.

Ray was born on July 21, 1933 in Toronto, Ontario to parents Boyd and Elva Cowan and married the love of his life Margaret on March 15, 1958.  Family and friends will remember Ray as the life of the party wherever he went.  With his trusty ukelele by his side, around the fire at the cottage, in a hotel room or hospitality suite at an industry function or at a hockey tournament, he would entertain the masses with his energetic and truly unique renditions of his favourite crowd pleasers which quickly became favourites to all of those around him.

Ray was an electrician by trade where he apprenticed in the Canadian arctic working on the DEW line and building the Toronto subway system, now known as the TTC.  Relatively early in his career he made a shift, leaving the trade and pursuing a career in sales, a natural fit for a man with a big personality who loved and was loved in return by people of all walks of life.  Ray’s career took him and his family to New Jersey in 1968, originally with Wolf Tools, then into the electrical industry with Manhattan Cables, an industry where he would spend the rest of his career.  In 1973, eager to get back to Canada and be closer to family, Ray accepted the position of National Sales Manager with Cable Tech, a Stouffville, Ontario based wire and cable manufacturer that would eventually be acquired and become known as Noma Cable Tech.  The family settled at 17 Maple Street in Markham, the place they would call home for over 42 years.  Ray spent the rest of his career with the company, holding various sales management and sales executive positions, eventually earning the position of Vice President of Sales for the distribution side of the business.  Ray’s impact on the Canadian Electrical Industry made a lasting impression and upon retirement Ray was awarded with the “Honorary Lifetime Member” award in the Industry Builders category by Electro Federation Canada.  While Ray rarely talked about his own personal achievements, he would happily talk for hours about what was most important to him, the lifetime of friendships and relationships that he made and the many “good times” he had with his co-workers, customers, suppliers and even his competitors. Business was also a family affair as Marg would join him for many trips and conferences all over Canada, the United States, China, Japan, Hong Kong and Macao.  Ray was also well known in the Markham hockey community where he spent years volunteering with the Markham Minor Hockey Association as a coach and manager highlighted by taking a Midget AA team to Finland and Russia in the winter of 1980.

Personal achievements aside, Ray would tell you that his greatest achievement in life, by far, was his family.  Marg was the apple of his eye who he loved and cared for until the very end when she passed away in 2024. The lifetime of memories they shared together, with and through their three children and their families created a love for one another to be envied by others.  Even in his later years, struggling through dementia and other health issues, which were numerous at times, he never complained.  Not once.  Instead, his focus was on Marg and her wellbeing.  When asked how he was feeling he would quickly respond with a “fine thanks” and immediately turn the conversation to Marg, how she was doing, to his kids, grandkids and even his great grandkids.  He was always so concerned about how everyone else was and what they were “up to” as he would say.  Never about himself.  That’s just the man that he was.  With Marg by his side, Ray created countless memories that will be cherished for generations by his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He will be dearly missed.  We will all move forward as he would want us to, striving to live our lives in a way that would make him proud, one that is built around kindness, family and friends.

On Ray’s behalf, our family would like to thank the amazing, caring staff at Woods Park for the incredible care and love that you showed Dad over the last five years.  You were truly family to Ray and because of that you are forever part of our family.  You are very special people doing very important work and words cannot explain just how incredibly thankful we are for all of you.  Please keep doing what you do and know that you truly make a difference every day.  Love to all of you.

Family and friends are invited to join us to celebrate the lives of Ray and Marg Cowan, together as one on Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Vespra Hills Golf Club, 2694 Wilson Drive, Springwater, Ontario, L9X 1K9.  Family remarks at 2:00 p.m.

If desired, memorial donations may be made to Sick Kids and/or to Diabetes Canada.

Online memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.peacefultransition.ca