Gladwin County MI Archives Obituaries.....COWELL, RAY CECIL August 12, 1962 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Thomas Ladner tomdladner@yahoo.com April 19, 2008, 5:00 pm Gladwin County Record dated 08-15/1962 Column - 2 Page - 1 POLICE RAY COWELL DIES MAKING ARREST SERVICES HELD TODAY FOR OFFICER COWELL Funeral services were held for Ray C. Cowell today (Wednesday) at 2 p.m. at the Hall Funeral Home. The Rev. Thurlan Meredith officiated and burial was in the Dale Cemetery. Mr. Cowell had been a member of the Gladwin City police force for the past three years. He had served as Gladwin County sheriff from 1936 to 1942, and prior to that time as Beaverton City, marshal for four years. He was born Dec. 4, 1903 at Ogden Center, Lenawee County, and had lived most of his life in Gladwin County. He was married July 4, 1952 in Mt. Pleasant to Wretha Dowell who survives along with two daughters, Mrs. Jean Stone, of Gladwin, and Mrs. Joyce Hart, of Saginaw; two sons, Donald, of Gladwin, and David, of the U.S. Navy; 15 grandchildren and two great- grandchildren. Chief of Police Al Erdman lauded Mr. Cowell as a conscientious and dedicated police officer. Gladwin City Police Officer Ray C. Cowell, 58, died while on duty early Sunday morning following the arrest of a Gladwin man. Funeral services are being held today at 2 p.m. at the Hall Funeral Home. Cowell and Patrolman Gean Ridley, were on routine patrol Sunday morning at 3:10 a.m. when they saw a car crash into a stop sign at the corner of Cedar and Bowery Avenues. The car was driven by Kent Alvin Wray, 23. With him in the vehicle were his brother, Leon Marvin Wray, 20, and Norman Paul VanHorn, Jr., 20, all of Gladwin. Ridley said that as Officer Cowell was issuing a reckless driving ticket to Kent Wray, he was profanely abused by Leon Wray and when the summons was completed Cowell placed Leon under arrest as a drunk and disorderly person and started to walk him to the county jail a block away. Kent was reported to have intervened forceably and a scuffle ensued and Officer Cowell wrestled Kent to the ground. The tustle ended, Wray agreed to go peacefully to jail and the men had regained their feet when Cowell suddenly collasped, Ridley reported. Ridley immediately placed Leon and VanHorn under arrest and turned his attention to the stricken officer. Cowell was taken to the Gladwin Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival by Dr. K. D. Coulter at about 3:20 a.m. An autospy, ordered by Prosecutor Cyrus Y. AtLee, revealed that he died from over exertion, Coroner Jerry Miner reported, according to Chief of Police Al Erdman. The trio was confined in the Gladwin County jail and the Clare County jail at Harrison until Monday when they were arraigned in Justice Walter Hopson's court and fined and jailed. Beer was found in their car, officers said. Leon Wray pleaded guilty to charges of a minor in possession of intoxicating beverages and being disorderly. Norman VanHorn was likewise charged with possession of intoxicating beverages and also pleaded guilty to the count. They were fined $25 and $4.90 costs and jailed for 10 days by Justice Hopson. Kent Wray pleaded guilty on a charge of furnishing intoxicating beverages to minors and was given a jail term of 10 days and fined $25 and $4.90 costs. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of reckless driving and asked for a jury trial. He was also charged with resisting arrest and demanded examination. Bond of $700 was set on the two charges and when it was not furnished. Wray was taken to the Clare County jail to await examination and trial. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/gladwin/obits/c/cowell3220gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb