Wayne R. Nowlen

Wayne Rice Nowlen, 93, of Sioux City died early Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008, at his residence following a brief illness.

Services will be 11 a.m. Monday, March 3, 2008, at First Congregational United Church of Christ. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel.

Wayne was born in Ames, Iowa, in 1914, to Arthur and Belle Nowlen. He and his family moved to Des Moines, when he was 6 years old. He attended school there, graduating from Roosevelt High School in 1933, where he excelled in football, basketball and track. After graduation, he attended Drake University for one year before transferring to Iowa State in Ames, where he majored in agronomy.

In 1939, he married Barbara Towne in Des Moines. She preceded him in death in June 1978. He was employed by Aetna Life Insurance Company managing farms while living in Creston, Iowa. In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and served for three years. Early in 1946, the Nowlens moved to Sioux City, where he managed farms for the Hatfield Farm Management Co. for 17 years. He then was employed by Security National Bank in 1962 as vice president, where he started their farm management program. He managed their clients' farms until his retirement in 1980.

In 1979, he married Mary Gage Harless who was a lifelong friend of the family. Mary passed away in March 2003.

He spent many summer vacations at Lake Okoboji with his family and other relatives. He was a friend to everyone he met including the staff at Bickford Cottage, where he last resided. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing golf especially with his brothers-in-law, Paul Baichly and Phil Wright. He was a 62-year member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, where he was active on many boards during that time.

He is survived by a daughter, Polly (Jim) Fair of Guerneville, Calif.; a son, Mike (Jan) Nowlen of Sioux City; two stepdaughters, Betsy (Chris) Nielsen of Eugene, Ore., and Georgeanne (Dan) Smith of Boise, Idaho; five grandchildren, Troy and Mike Nowlen and Stephanie, Danny and James Fair; four great-grandchildren, Trevor, Michael and Jacob Nowlen and Delaney Fair; two stepgrandsons, Mike and Jeff Smith; two great-stepgrandsons, Brendan and Jackson Smith; a sister-in-law, Polly Baichly; nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Patsy.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wives, Barbara and Mary; a brother and his wife, Russ and Bonnie Nowlen; his father and mother-in-law, George and Christine Towne; a brother-in-law, Paul Baichly; a sister-in-law and her husband, Liz and Phil Wright; and a brother-in-law and his wife, George and Anne Towne.

In lieu of flowers, memorial may be sent to First Congregational United Church of Christ.