William J. Cowls

William J. Cowls was born in Cornwall, England, and moved to Kitchener-Waterloo in 1923. He worked for Mutual Life Assurance Company for forty-four years and was publicity manager when he retired. He held executive positions with various national and international insurance organizations.

An avid writer, he coauthored Mutual’s centennial history, was editor for 14 years of Trinity United Church’s quarterly newsletter and was a longtime editor of the Trefoil Literary Society’s Grumbler. He wrote pageants for the City of Waterloo 100th anniversary and the Evangelical Church’s 60th anniversary in Canada and published three books. He won numerous writing awards, including the IODE Ontario’s short story contest and the K-W Little Theatre’s play writing contest.

Cowls was associated for many years with the K-W Council of Friendship and helped hundreds of New Canadians adjust to life in their new country. In 1971 he was named K-W Citizen of the Year for his humanitarian work. W.J. Cowls: “The quiet moment of the Eye of the Artist but whose paints and colours were the spoken word.”