Track, football and family: Former Bradley athlete dies at age 85
PEORIA — Larry Cowling was a two-sport scholarship athlete at Bradley University over half a century ago.
He was an outstanding football player and track sprinter at Bradley in the 1960s, but he played many more roles in his life.
Cowling died Oct. 7 at age 85 at Independence Village in Peoria, the end of a lifetime in which he was a military veteran, Caterpillar executive, charter bus driver and terrific husband and father and more.
'The Gentle Giant': Ex-Manual and Bradley basketball forward Tom Wilson dies
"My father was the most wonderful father that a son like me could ever have in his life," said Cowling's son, Brian Cowling, of Peoria, in a eulogy streamed live. "He was a very devoted father to me, to my brother, and devoted husband to my mother. He had countless friends from his days at Caterpillar and driving for Peoria Charter Coach.
"Teaching me how to drive, he'd say 'You're going to learn how to drive a stick before you drive an automatic.' And I did. My dad was my rock. He was my protector for me and my family.
"Dad … I'm going to be there too, to see you again. I love you dad, and I'm going to miss you so much."
A Bradley man
Cowling ran track for Bradley, a sprinter who in 1962 logged a 9.5-second 100-meter dash.
He was part of BU's relay teams that won several meets in 1964, and his speed was elite on the Braves roster. His career was hampered in later years by a recurring leg injury.
He played left halfback for Bradley's football team, too, with head coach Billy Stone pictured with him and a teammate in a 1963 Journal Star story in which Stone referred to his halfback tandem as his speedy runners.
At one point during the 1962 season, Cowling was Bradley's leading rusher.
Cowling also was deeply committed to the Epsilon Kappa Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Bradley. The fraternity conducted an Omega Ceremony in his honor after his death.
Cowling received the Billy Stone Award from Bradley University's Varsity Club in 1997, an honor given to those who have supported BU athletic programs over the course of many years with time, energy or financial gifts.
A life well done
Cowling credited his grandmother, Dora, for shaping his life with a foundation of love, respect for self and others, honesty and faith in God.
He lived for a while in Altgeld Gardens, in Chicago, then after high school headed to Woodrow Wilson Junior College. He spent one semester there, then joined the U.S. Air Force and served from 1957-61 in the Pacific, spending time on Okinawa. He was buried with military honors, a ceremony that streamed live after a church service that is recorded on Facebook.
He headed to Bradley as a veteran and scholarship athlete and earned a degree in industrial education with a minor in machine design.
Eleanor, Caterpillar and the JFL
In 1962, Cowling married Eleanor V. Bracey, and they were together for 61 years, with sons Brian and Paul Anthony. He served on several community boards and was one of the original coaches in the JFL from 1967 to 1970.
Cowling spent 32 years at Caterpillar in supervisor and management positions, finishing in Labor Relations before his retirement in 1997. He promptly went right back to work — driving a bus for Peoria Charter Coach until 2012.
Bradley basketball: Why the Braves looked so different as official practices began
He leaves a wife, two sons, a brother and two sisters, and countless nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, his family asked that memorials may be made to the Tri-County Peoria Urban League Youth Programs.
"He was a light in his community, a light of his family. He was a light at Bradley University," one of Cowling's nephews said during the Omega Ceremony. "He carried that light … at Bradley University, here in the Peoria community, with my family, showing us the way. Not only the way where we all can be free and equal, but the way to Jesus Christ himself.
"We will forever cherish the memory of my uncle, Larry Mal Cowling."
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Bradley University track and football athlete dies at age 85
