Gwenda Faye Cogswell was born Nov. 23, 1936, in Cedar Rapids, to Samuel and Altha (McClatchey) Ramp, the oldest of two children, and passed away Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, at Warren Memorial Hospital in Friend at the age of 84.
As a young girl, Gwenda attended various schools and later her family moved to Friend where she later became a 1955 graduate of Friend High School. She furthered her education by attending Nebraska Wesleyan where she received her teaching certificate. Gwenda taught at a country school near Friend and on Aug. 11, 1957, she was united in marriage to Charles Cogswell and to this union, five children were joined into the family, Randy, David, Curtis, Linda and Jeffrey. Gwenda enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom and also helping Charles on the farm. After the children were grown, Gwen’s love for children promoted her to start a pre-school program and she continued this program for many years.
Gwenda was very active with the Friend Congregational Church, where she was Sunday school teacher for over 30 years, sang in the choir, women’s fellowship and other community involvement, including 50-year memberships in the Friend Grange and served as an officer on the state level, the Order of the Eastern Star, Rose Standish Chapter #265 and was past Worthy Matron on several occasions, Chapter DQ, PEO, serving as president, Koffee Klatter Club, Red Hats Society, and most recently the GG’s Dinner Club. She was an avid reader, enjoyed baking and cooking, traveling, especially all the field trips with her grandkids and attending school activities and collecting china and dolls.
Survivors include her husband, Charles, Friend; children and spouses, David and Deanna Cogswell, Gretna, Curtis and Lisa Cogswell, McCool Junction, Linda and Kent Blender, Benedict, Jeffrey and Amy Cogswell, Gretna; 10 grandchildren, Jennifer Fleming, Allen (Jordan) Cogswell, Coleman (Brooklyn) Cogswell, Connor Cogswell, Christina (Christopher) Schoenholz, Deric Blender, Hannah Blender, Tyler Cogswell, Kennedy Cogswell, Katelynn Cogswell; five great-grandchildren, Phoebe and Sydney Fleming, Abram, Lola and Gwenyth Cogswell; a brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Arlene Ramp, Friend; a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Mary Beth and Bernard Navratil, Crete, Becky Cogswell, Lexington, Kentucky; several nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
Gwenda was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel and Altha Ramp; son, Randy in 1976; a grandson, Keathen Cogswell in 2021; and a brother-in-law, spouse, Donald and Jean Cogswell.
The funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, at the Friend Congregational Church with interment in Andrew Cemetery with Eastern Star Services. Visitation is Wednesday, Oct. 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. with family receiving relatives and friends. Memorial contributions are suggested to the church. Condolences may be left for the family online at www.lauberfh.com.
