Linda Cowan, a dedicated and much respected epidemiologist and former chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Unversity of Oklahoma passed away on December 31, 2013.  She died unexpectedly of infectious causes brought on by complications of underlying liver disease, according to her husband John.

Excerpts from her obituary are published here along with  comments from some of her colleagues and former students.  They weave a portrait of her as an epidemiologist and a person that made her a credit to her profession.

"Exceptional and Exemplary"
A departmental colleague, Elisa Lee, said Cowan "participated in the Strong Heart Study (SHS), the largest and longest NIH funded multi=center study of cardiovascular disease in American Indians, for more than 20 years.  She was an outstanding epidemiologist, very serious about every aspect of the study and I believe she was equally serious about every other study in which she was involved.  Linda would not permit any sloppy design, imperfect conduct or incomplete analysis.  Her dedication to research was exceptional and exemplary.  She was a warm person, always positive, optimistic, cheerful and eager to contribute.  The conversations were always exciting and interesting when she was around."

"Joy and Expertise"
Another colleague on the Heard Study, said "Linda added much life and joy to the Study in addition to her solid scientific expertise.  I remember her most for challenging investigators if she though something had been overlooked and for her smile and enthusiasm at meetings and at dinners where she injected lots of laughter and interesting conversation.  While she has not been part of the crowd for a while, she is part of our history and our success.  It leaves a hole in our hearts to have lost her."

"We Are All Africans"
Helene Carabin, another departmental colleague told the Monitor that Cowan was very enthusiastic about solving methodological challenges observed in epidemiological research.  Her advice about methodological aspects was sought by students and faculty alike.  She had touched on such a variety of subject that she could discuss epidemiology methods applied to pretty much any problem

According to Carabin, Cowan spent the last part of her career largely focusing on the study of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa, and especially that caused by neurocysticercosis, a zoonotic infection endemic where sanitation and pig management practices are poor and undercooked pork is consumed.  "This was the opportunity for her to use her knowledge of the epidemiology of epilepsies and apply it to a different context which contained plenty of methodological challenges.  She also got involved on a project aiming at estimating the frequency and monetary burden of cysticercosis in Burkina Faso.

There she truly felt at home and would always mention how she could now understand that "we are all Africans".  Her love for those children that would come and look at her camera after taking their picture and her dedication to trying to prevent epilepsy which is a devastating disease to have in Sub-Saharan Africa was who Cowan truly was -- generous, kind and convinced epidemiology was a key tool in improving the health of the poorest of the poor.  She will be greatly missed by never forgotten."

"Best of the Best"
One of her African colleagues from Benin commented at the news of her passing, "what an inestimable loss.  We, her student, will remember the rigor and seriousness she brought to our work."  Another colleague from Rwanda said "I remember well her sharp and lively spirit -- she gave live to number, and made them tell a story."  Another young colleague said, "Dr. Cowan had set the bar so high as an Epidemiology Professor and advisor that we could not possibly attempt to follow in her footsteps.  She was the best of the best and I feel very privileged to have know and worked with her."

Stellar Mind and Smile
Ellen Gold, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of California, Davis who knew Cowan from graduate school days, told the Monitor "...among my many memories of her perhaps foremost was her warm, welcoming smile and her brilliance.  She was one of the smartest doctoral students that I encountered in my graduate student years at Hopkins.  And her smile was persistent, despite her health struggles - being diagnosed with chronic active hepatitis while she was a doctoral student and struggling with all the symptoms and morbidity associated with that disease.  I remember her stellar smile and how energetic she was after she received her liver transplant a number of years later.

Her doctoral dissertation was a historical cohort study of women seen at the JHH Infertility Clinic whom she followed for occurrence of breast cancer, following up on the observation that delayed age at first pregnancy was related to increased risk of breast cancer.  She tried to determine if hormonal (primarily progesterone) deficiency was related to increased breast cancer risk. (Cowan et al: Amer J Epidemiol 1981;114:209-214).  I still use it as an example in my graduate teaching to show that a historical cohort study can be done for a doctoral dissertation.

Great Loss
The University of Iowa's Bob Wallace told the Epi Monitor he "had the privilege of working with Linda at the beginning and at the unfortunate end of her career.  She was a bright and rising star when she joined several of us in the Lipid Research Clinics program, and she made several important contributions there to the population study of blood lipids and lipoproteins.  I didn't really interact with her much until we served jointly on an Institute of Medicine board many years later.  There, she served with great distinction and participated with wisdom and grace, and it was a pleasure to again interact with and learn from her.  Her untimely passing was a great loss to the epidemiology community," he said.

Early Years
Linda was born and grew up in Illinois, attended Michigan State University and graduated with a degree in nursing in 1970 and earned a masters degree in nursing education from the University of Maryland in 1972.  She then worked as a research assistant and instructor at the University of Maryland developing a strong interest in medical research.  She graduated with both a Masters in Public Health (1975) and a Ph.D. (1979) from Johns Hopkins before accepting a post-doctoral fellowship to Harvard University where she did research in neuroepidemiology from 1978-1979.

First Job
Linda and her husband then moved to Norman, Oklahoma and Linda worked for four years as an Assistant Member in the Lipids Research Clinic Program in Oklahoma City before being hired in 1983 as an assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology of the University of Oklahoma, becoming a full professor in 1995.

Research
She expanded her research studies to include heart disease, focusing on Native American populations, an dlater to neurological diseases, particularly epilepsy in children.  In the last few years of her career she spent time in Africa.

Teaching and Service
She was a gifted teacher an researcher winning the Oklahoma University Regents Award for Superior Teaching in 1993 and was named a George Lynn Cross Research Professor in 1996.  She served 27 years of dedicated teaching, research and service in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemioloyg, including serving as chair for more than 3 years, retiring in January of 2011.  She published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

As noted in her full obituary, Linda was a great lover of art and enjoyed visiting many museums throughout the world.  A celebration of Linda Cowan's life will be held for friends of her on Friday night, April 4, 2014 at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History in Norman, Oklahoma.  To read the full obituary published in Cowan's local newspaper, visit the website of the Norman Transcript at:  http://tinyurl.com/os7f576
 

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