Charles Arnold Cogswell was born Aug. 3, 1937, to Lester Donald and Mary Francelia (Milton) Cogswell.
He was the third and youngest child born to their union and joined his brother, Donald, and sister, Mary Beth (Navratil) Cogswell. He passed away Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
Charles was a lifelong resident of Friend, where he graduated from high school in 1955 and attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for one year, before coming back to Friend to farm. He married his high school sweetheart, Gwenda Faye (Ramp) Cogswell on Aug. 11, 1957. Their marriage was blessed with five children, Randall, David, Curtis, Linda and Jeffrey.
Charles was very active in the Friend community. He was a member of the Friend Congregational Church, the Grange, Masons, Eastern Star, Scottish Rite, Shrine, Rotary Club, Friend Public School Board, Friend Farmers Cooperative Board, the Saline County Fair Board and the Rural Fire Board. Charles held many offices and received numerous honors from these organizations, including Friend Congregational Church Council, 60-year member of the Friend Congregational Church, Friend Grange Master, Nebraska State Grange Overseer, Friend Lodge Worthy Master, 50-year pin from the Masons, a member of the Shrine Chanters and Charles and Gwenda were honored as the Young Couple of the Year for the Nebraska State Grange.
Charles enjoyed everything about his farm life. He was very intellectually curious and enjoyed engaging anyone and everyone in conversation. He loved traveling with his wife, wintering in Arizona, spending time with his family and was a collector, especially RS Prussia, farm toys, barbed wire, nativity scenes and hummel figurines.
Charles is Survived by children, Deanna Cogswell, Gretna, Curtis and Lisa Cogswell, McCool Junction, Linda and Kent Blender, Benedict, and Jeffrey and Amy Cogswell; grandchildren, Jennifer Fleming and Justin Wiley, Omaha, Allen and Jordan Cogswell, Lawton, Iowa, Coleman and Brooklyn Cogswell, McCool Junction, Conner Cogswell, Tobias, Christina and Chris Schoenholz, Stromsburg, Deric and Kassie Blender, Tekamah, Hannah Blender, Lincoln, Tyler and Kelsey Cogswell, Gretna, Kennedy and Jacob Browning, Edina, Minnesota and Katelynn Cogswell, Stillwater, Oklahoma; great-grandchildren, Phoebe and Sydney Fleming, Abram, Lola, Gwenyth and Owen Cogswell, Tyson and Jaxon Schoenholz, Brya Blender and Callahan Cogswell; sister and brother-in-Law, Mary Beth Navratil, Crete, and Paul and Arlene Ramp, Friend; nieces and nephews, Brenda Frahm, Boyd Navratil, Emily Guenther, Doug Ramp, Bradley Ramp, Valerie Rodino and Marc Cogswell
He was proceeded in death by his wife, Gwenda Cogswell; sons Randall and David Cogswell; grandson, Keathen Cogswell; great-grandson, Zander Schoenholz; parents, Lester and Mary Cogswell, Sam and Altha Ramp; and brother Donald Cogswell.
Visitation is Sunday, Jan. 19, from 2 – 8 p.m. at the Lauber Funeral Home in Friend, with family greeting and receiving friends and relatives from 4 – 6 p.m. The funeral service will be Monday, Jan. 20, at 10 a.m. at the Friend Congregational Church with a graveside service to follow at the Andrew Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Friend Congregational Church.
Arrangements by Lauber Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
