Nowell donates artwork as thank-you to Cape police

Marie Nowell, 92, of Cape Girardeau donated a picture of a police car she colored-in to the Cape Girardeau Police Department, specifically officer William Rogers, on Friday.

Nowell’s daughter, Patricia Silman, said the picture was given “to say thank you, after Capitol Police handled the attack in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6th. Our men and women in blue protect us and give great service to society.”

Nowell is known for her coloring skills since she picked up the hobby in 2015 to occupy her mind after her son had suffered a brain aneurysm. She continued to do so to help cope with the loss of her partner of more than 75 years, Robert Lee Nowell, when he died in 2019.

“Mother’s picture is intended to show appreciation. Even a small donation is added to others and becomes a big deal. It’s small, but like my Mother’s picture, it becomes a large thank you, when we all work together,” Silman said.

Sgt. Joey Hann, public information officer of the Cape Girardeau Police Department, said officer Rogers brought the picture back to the station and displayed it there for all of the officers.

“Gestures like this from our community are always appreciated. Our officers usually deal with citizens who are in the midst of a negative experience or are handling a traumatic event so it is always refreshing when a member of the community we serve takes the time to express their gratitude in a manner such as this. Officer Roger certainly appreciated this random and unexpected act of kindness,” Hann said.

“All of her life she has given to others. At 92 she is still giving. We can all give, in our own personal way, creating our own ministry, in a world that is hurting. One never knows whose heart you might touch. When you have a choice, and we always do, choose kindness and contribute to our world, your world,” Silman said.

According to Silman, Nowell has also colored-in firefighter-related pictures and presented it to firefighters in her family, including her grandsons Donnie Allen Nowell of Mount Olive, Illinois. and Chris Silman of Huntley, Illinois. She plans for the next firefighter picture to be colored-in for her grandson Chris Silman, an arson investigator.