Sub Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough

6 years after the sudden passing of Sub Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, her family will honour her in Ottawa at The National Military Cemetery, in Beechwood Cemetery on April 29th, 2026.

Sub Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, age 23, tragically lost her life aboard the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter when it crashed into the Ionian Sea in April 2020. Over the past 6 years, her family, friends and comrades honour, remember and celebrate her life every day. They will continue to do so and invite you to join them in honouring Abbigail on the 6th anniversary of her passing.

While in keeping with her spirit, a burial at sea has already taken place. Now, a portion of Abbigail’s ashes will be inurned at the National Military Cemetery, where she will rest and be memorialized in perpetuity alongside others who dedicated their lives to serving their country.

The family invites you to join them at Beechwood Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Services (280 Beechwood Ave, Ottawa, ON K1L 8A6) on April 29th, 2026 at 12pm. A Visitation will be held in the Hall of Colours, followed by the inurnment ceremony in the National Military Cemetery at 1pm.

Passage Written by Abbigail’s Mother (May 2020)

A bright light continues to shine through the darkest parts of our own hearts. Abbigail had a crazy grin that could brighten any room. She was willful, smart, determined and kind. She leapt and danced her way into so many hearts. She sang, albeit horribly, with gusto and bravado. She tried new things all the time, especially food. She loved food. She didn’t do anything small; she was all about hard work and determination.

You never expect things to go wrong but when they do, they go horribly wrong. Abbigail is survived by such a long line of biological family and she has been adopted by so many around the world on her travels as a granddaughter, sister, mother, aunt. We all have loss. We are now eternally connected. All of us. I could go on with the clichés about being a good soldier, but she would feel never enough for those with whom she had the honour to serve. Glory other than to God is not what she would have in mind and I feel it may not be enough anyway.

I brought her into this world; good, bad and the ugly. She lived hard. She read books, lots and lots of books, from Manga to Philosophy, and fun ones (she read everyone the Wonky Donkey with a Scottish accent). She flew kites and actual airplanes, skydived and traveled. She fed ducks and picked pussy willows in the spring. She could puddle jump like no one’s business, even at 23. Abbigail believed in fairies. She was the girl who would trip a toddler if it meant she could see a Disney princess first. But she would sit, hold a baby in her arms and have freckle fights with random strangers. She snuck into every crevice of the darkest parts of people. She also snuck onto places top brass couldn’t go just because she had the ability to manipulate anything into her command. I don’t doubt she would have done great things, but she is expecting us all to stand up and get things done.

Abbigail loved her civilian family as well as her Military one, her NATO, Pipes and Drums and Church families. These were her biggest teachers and supporters; they nurtured her and reared her. It is only right that she was blessed to die in their service. I swear I can hear the pipes and drums over the breeze with her belly laugh. She is looking over her shoulder with that signature coy Abbigail kiss. I catch it like that moment between heart beats; that quiet fluttering. It has been said we only have but one death to spend, and who would not want to pass with brothers in arms. She did not die for her God, family, country or Navy; she lived for these things.