Rowena Bernice Sowden

former Medina City Manager

1917-2012

Rowena Bernice Sowden of San Juan Capistrano, CA, passed away on November 23, 2012 at the age of 95. A 25-year Bellevue resident, she was appointed city manager of Medina in 1972. It is believed that at that time she was the first woman west of the Rockies to hold that position, and the first woman member of the International City Manager’s Association. She is survived by daughter Lana Perry (a 1959 graduate of Bellevue H.S.) of Laguna Niguel, CA; grandsons Derrick Brown of Denver, CO; Colby Brown of Laguna Beach, CA and great grandchildren Clayton Brown and Olivia Brown of Denver, CO.

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