Miro Fred Kowbuz

Miro Fred Kowbuz, was born in Meacham, Saskatchewan, Canada on October 25, 1926. He died on January 8, 2018, while a resident at Plaza del Rio Care Center in Peoria, AZ. Raised in a tight-knit Ukrainian farming community in the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan, Miro spent his boyhood years in Cudworth where his father operated the grain elevator for the Canadian government. His summers were spent playing and working on his grandparents' farm close to Lake Wakaw. He spoke only Ukrainian until age 6.Miro graduated from the University of Saskatchewan where he majored in Chemistry, Biology and Physics. After graduation, he studied Penicillin and taught students in a one-room school. Just after he began working for the Iron Ore Company of Canada, he married Irena Bubniuk and they had two daughters, Lydia and Larissa. The family moved to Arizona when Miro was offered a job with Phelps Dodge as a Chemist. Miro was strong, hardworking and dedicated to a career in chemical engineering that spanned almost five decades. Most of his career was spent in analytical research and development in metallurgy in the mining industry, and in the tech/semi-conductor industry where he designed and developed laboratories internationally. He continued his education to remain current in emerging technologies, and was one of few to first study spectroscopy, the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation. Miro was an inventor and was granted two United States Patents relating to processing for the production of high purity iron powder. In 1964, Miro was baptized and joined First Baptist Church of Tucson where friends introduced him to Mary Ann and her four children. They were married that same year. Although he spent a significant amount of time immersed in his work, Miro enjoyed and participated in fine arts as a classical vocalist in opera and studied locally through the Royal Academy of Music of London. He played semi-pro hockey and was offered a position with the newly-formed Arizona Roadrunners hockey team in the 1960's. Using old maps, he and his friends prospected for gold in the Arizona desert. Miro's car broke down (only once) and Mary Ann sent the sheriff to find him and his friends who were a bit lost. Having grown up in snow country, Miro and Mary Ann enjoyed ice dancing. They toured art galleries and took occasional trips to San Diego to get away for the weekend.Miro was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Alexandra Kowbuz of Saskatchewan, and his sister, Vera Nokony of Vancouver, BC, whom he loved and missed so much.Miro is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Rogers Kowbuz; children: Lydia Fife (Jack) of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada, Larissa Lea Kowbuz of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Brian D. Hill of Lovettsville, VA, Karen Healy of Tustin, CA, Kathryn Millsap (Lauren) of Lake Mathews, CA, and Jon Lawrence (Michelle), of Cumming, GA,; grandchildren: Ian Hatfield (Erica) of Glendale, AZ, Cameron Lawrence (Annabelle) of Atlanta, GA, Brenna Ring (Steve) of Woodstock, GA, Geoffrey Hatfield (Vanessa) of Peoria, AZ, Stephanie Brunner (Erik) of Woodstock, GA, Douglas Hill of Glendale, AZ and Adam Gray of Dallas, TX; and ten great-grandchildren.Memorial Service to be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, February 17, 2018 at Sunland Memorial Park, Lakeside, 15826 N. Del Webb Blvd., Sun City, AZ 85351.In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to South Peoria Baptist Church, 9000 W. Olive, Peoria, AZ 85345