Wanda Jane McKowen

Wanda J. McKowen

10 June 1929 – 2 January 2026

Wanda Jane McKowen, nee Isbell passed away on January 2, 2026 at home in the care of her family, who loved her. She lived to be 96.

Wanda was born to Gladys Mae (Chilcoat) Isbell and John Robert Isbell in Wewoka, Oklahoma in 1929. She adored her brothers, John and Dave Isbell. Wanda’s father worked in the oil industry, assignments lasting one to three years, so the family moved often between Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Gladys moved her family to San Diego, California, when Wanda finished grade school.

After Point Loma High School, Wanda received a teaching degree from San Diego State College. These were pivotal years as she had become a Christian and was growing and maturing in her faith.

Wanda met Emmett McKowen, who was a speaker at an Intervarsity Christian Fellowship gathering. He planned to live and work in Afghanistan, she, in Iran. After their engagement, they took cross-cultural and language translation classes from Wycliff Bible Translators. Immediately after their marriage they moved overseas.

Wanda and Emmett raised four daughters in Afghanistan, Guatemala, Brazil, Turkey and Northern Virginia. They ended their career with 15 years of teaching in Saudi Arabia. Throughout her life, Wanda was faithful to her high calling to be a teacher, a loving wife and dedicated mother. After retiring to the U.S., Wanda and Emmett taught, hosted and encouraged many international students and professionals. She was also a discussion leader for Bible Study Fellowship women’s classes.

Wanda was a living example of forgiveness, contentment and gratitude. A recipient of God’s grace, mercy and love, she has entered her new life as holy, incorruptible and beyond reproach, in the presence and fellowship with her Lord and Savior forevermore.

Wanda is preceded in death by Emmett, husband of sixty years, by Christine McKowen Haas, her youngest daughter who died in 2023, as well as by her two brothers, John W. Isbell and K. David Isbell.

Together, she and Emmett had four daughters, 13 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. Her legacy includes 54 descendants (including spouses), for whom Wanda prayed every day.

Wanda will be interred at Quantico National Cemetery.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at McLean Presbyterian Church. Light reception following.

In lieu of flowers, tax deductible donations can be made to Tat Stewart (worldwitness.org, online designation to Tat and Pat Stewart).

Tat’s lifelong work of reaching and discipling Iranians was deeply important to

Wanda & Emmett, whose friendship and work ran parallel over the decades.