Elwin Andrew Nowa, 79, passed away Nov. 16, 2021, at his home in Chehalis, Washington. He was the third of three children born to Blanche Elizabeth Catherine (Bishop) and George Gordon Nowa, July 23, 1942, in Monterey Park, California. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Anna Jane Dugan and brother Harold Gordon Nowa.
Elwin is survived by his wife, Linda Jillson Nowa, who he married Nov. 21, 1964, in Arcadia, California. Together they raised two wonderful children, Amy Kathryn (Nowa) Johnson of North Las Vegas, Nevada, and Andrew Gordon Nowa, of Rochester, Washington. They were blessed with six grandchildren, Elizabeth Johnson, Landen Nowa, Joshua Johnson, Laney Nowa, Matthew and Cameron Johnson. They were also godparents to Linda (Hixon) Alcorn of Maple Valley, Washington, and Robert Hixon of Kent, Washington.
Elwin lived his entire youth in Arcadia and graduated from Arcadia High School. He also took classes at Pasadena City College. His father owned a sheet metal shop where Elwin and his brother learned that trade at an early age.
Elwin supported war efforts for Vietnam and Desert Storm by working for Monrovia Aviation in Monrovia, California, where he manufactured helicopter blades; McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach, California, where he manufactured fighter jets; FMC in San Jose, California, where he manufactured military troop carriers; and Lockheed in Sunnyvale, California, where he manufactured submarine missiles. Upon retirement from Lockheed, Elwin performed residential maintenance on rental properties that he and Linda owned in Northern California and Utah. They later moved to Southern Nevada where he worked for ConAM Residential Properties.
Elwin loved to make things out of wood. He also liked to set up and play with HO model trains. His grandchildren spent hours with him in his train room watching videos and planning for the next train layout.
Elwin joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in June of 2000. He willingly served in any capacity that he could to help families in the community. Elwin and Linda retired to Adna, Washington, in September, 2006. He loved to putter around the property and passed doing just what he loved.
Funeral services for Elwin are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, 11 a.m., at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2195 Jackson Highway, Chehalis, Washington.
