UMKC School of Dentistry Alumni NewsVol. 69 • No. 2Winter 2009DR. ROBERT AND LUCILLE COWANLEAVE A LEGACY OF LOVEEarlier this year Robert andLucille Cowan transformedthemselves into steppingstones by establishing a legacyestate gift at the UMKCSchool of Dentistry that willbenefit future generations ofUMKC graduates.
We’ve had a wonderful life,” remarkedDr. Robert Cowan on thelife he and his wife, Lucille, have sharedin Branson, Mo., for almost six decades.During that time they built a thrivingdental practice in which he “did thedentistry” and she assisted (chairside atfirst, then as office manager).“Dentistry has been good tome, and I’ve tried to be good todentistry,” observed Dr. Cowanwith characteristic humility. “Ithas given me a stepping stone todo other things that I wanted to dowith investments and other things.”Earlier this year Robert andLucille Cowan transformed themselvesinto stepping stones byestablishing a legacy estate gift atthe UMKC School of Dentistrythat will benefit future generationsof UMKC graduates. At the timethe Cowans’ gift to the School ofDentistry was announced to thepublic by UMKC Chancellor LeoMorton at the 2009 <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Dental</strong><strong>Conference</strong> in March, the bequestwas valued at $8.2 million.“The University and the Schoolof Dentistry are certainly humbledby the generosity of the Cowans,”said UMKC Chancellor Leo Morton.“The Cowans’ extraordinarygift of education and opportunitywill provide immeasurable returns.We thank them for their unendingdedication and support, and for selectingUMKC to continue their legacy.”The Cowans asked that the gift,which will be made in the form of abequest provision in their estate plan,be used to endow a scholarship fund toassist students at the UMKC School ofDentistry. They hope their generositywill not only assist students with theireducations, but have a lasting impact ontheir lives.“We gave this [gift] a lot of thought,”said Dr. Cowan. “We wanted to dosomething that would help generationsof students, not just be spent today andgone tomorrow. It would be nice if someof the students would help the schoolafter they practice a few years and havea family and accumulate a little money;well, if they could help the school out,to pay back for their help, it’d be nice.”“I had the pleasure of visiting theCowans at their home in Branson inlate September with Dr. Nan Evanson,the school’s director of advancement,”said Dr. Marsha Pyle, dean ofthe UMKC School of Dentistry. “I wasDR. ROBERT ANDLUCILLE COWAN LEAVEA LEGACY OF LOVEincredibly impressed by Dr. and Mrs.Cowan’s love of the school and the dentalprofession. The Cowans are emblematicof the very special support that ouralumni have for the school and forstudent scholarships. Their giftwill make a significant differencein the lives of the studentswho will be the recipients ofthe Cowans’ generosity.”As Dr. Cowan reflected onhis career, he admitted thathis dental career has beena labor of love. Eventhough he retired about ayear ago, he still misses,at age 89, the office.“There’s nothing inthe world I’d ratherdo than dentistry,” he said. “I havetrouble with my feet, and if it wasn’t forthat, I’d be down at the office doing alittle bit of work right now.”Robert and Lucille met in KansasCity and married in 1951. Dr. Cowanhad graduated from the University ofKansas City, School of Dentistry in1949, worked briefly for the school’soral surgery department, and thenjoined the U.S. Public Health Serviceto evaluate water fluoridationand fluoride application on children’steeth. He and the team of clinicianshe supervised traveled throughout thestate of Missouri. During his travelshe learned of a dentist who wantedto sell his “small, small practice” indowntown Branson. Dr. Cowan hadworked on all the children in andaround Branson, so he was familiarwith the area and liked it.But, he admits, “You’re talkin’about a man in his late 20s, and atthat age you don’t know really whatyou want. All you know is that youneed to go to work to try to makea living. We liked the river runningthrough, and thought it was anice area. I thought all my life thatI could make anything work that Iwanted to work.”Dr. MarshaPyle, dean of the UMKC Schoolof Dentistry, visited the Cowens at their homein Branson, Mo., to personally thank them onbehalf of the University for their generosity2 • Explorer Winter 2009
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