▁of ▁Fair f ax ▁New sp apers ▁( three ▁of ▁them ▁as ▁Chair man ) ▁during ▁a ▁tur bul ent ▁period ▁for ▁the ▁company ; ▁and ▁being ▁patron ▁of ▁St ▁K ilda ▁Football ▁Club . ▁During ▁the ▁lead - up ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Australian ▁republic ▁refer endum , ▁he ▁supported ▁a ▁moder ate ▁republic an ▁position . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁On ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁Cow en ▁married ▁Anna ▁W itt ner ▁( born ▁ 5 ▁July ▁ 1 9 2 5 ) ▁and ▁had ▁four ▁children , ▁Sh imon , ▁Y ose f , ▁Kate ▁and ▁Ben . ▁ ▁His ▁son , ▁Rab bi ▁Sh imon ▁Cow en , ▁is ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Institute ▁for ▁J uda ism ▁and ▁Civil ization ▁in ▁Melbourne . ▁ ▁Death ▁Cow en ▁suffered ▁from ▁Park inson ' s ▁disease ▁for ▁at ▁least ▁the ▁last ▁ 1 5 ▁years ▁of ▁his ▁life . ▁He ▁died ▁on ▁ 8 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁at ▁the ▁ ▁age ▁of ▁ 9 2 , ▁at ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁To or ak , ▁Victoria . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁his ▁swe aring - in ▁as ▁Governor - General ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁ ▁His ▁state ▁fun eral ▁at ▁Melbourne ' s ▁Temple ▁Beth ▁Israel ▁in ▁St ▁K ilda ▁was ▁attended ▁by ▁the ▁Governor - General , ▁D ame ▁Qu entin ▁Bry ce , ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁Julia ▁Gill ard