Mr. Cowen attended Columbia College, Columbia College of Engineering, Drew University, and New York University, and was the author of An Egyptian Hieroglyphics Primer. He served in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954.

He was employed byA. Goodman and Sons, rising to president. He then served as chief financial officer of Cowen Media Inc.

In Livingston, he was instrumental in resettling a Vietnamese refugee family in the U.S. in 1975. For decades, he hosted the Livingston Music Group in his home.

Mr. Cowen was co-president of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Jewish Committee, and a member of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, where he served as an officer, as well as on many of its committees. He was also honored at the 2016 Lasting Impressions Gala of the New Jersey Historical Society, serving for many years on its Executive Committee.