Tommye Cowan

Services for Tommye Lawrene Cowan, 80 of Tyler, will be held on Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 2:00 PM at Glennwood Church of Christ with Dr. John Harrison and Reggie Howell officiating. Burial will be held at Manchester Cemetery on Friday, November 18, 2011 under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mrs. Cowan passed away November 13, 2011 at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler. She was born February 14, 1931 in Jacksboro to Lawton and Edith Whitsitt Faires. Mrs. Cowan was a member of Glenwood Church of Christ. She graduated from Abilene Christian University in 1952 with a Bachelor of Music Education as Honor Girl of her graduating class and was named among Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges. She was a member of Cadettes Social Club, C.S.O., President of the W Club, was a member of the ACU band and she sang with the ACU Acapella Choir. Following graduation she was selected as community ambassador from Abilene for The Experiment in International Living program. With this group she traveled and lived for a short time in post-war Germany, reporting her experiences to the Abilene Reporter News. Upon return to the U.S., she taught music in elementary school in Abilene and Midland. She married Seth B. Cowan, M.D. in Zurich, Switzerland on October 11, 1956 and after a Bavarian honeymoon, lived in Izmir, Turkey where her husband was a medical officer in the USAF. They returned to the US and lived in Colorado City, Texas where their daughters were born. They moved to Garland in 1962. In Garland she was president of the Garland Music Club, a member of the board of Community Concerts and New Beginnings Center and a devoted volunteer. Mrs. Cowan and her husband recently retired to Tyler. She is survived by her loving family including her husband of 55 years, Seth Cowan; children, Cathy Howell and husband Reggie of Tyler, Elizabeth Cowan Reynolds of Edmond, OK and Lauren Sloan and husband Mike of Oklahoma City, OK; brother, Bill Faires and wife Jean of Hempstead; and grandchildren Jarrod Howell and wife Kristen, Tyler Howell, Kate Reynolds Pattillo and husband Mark, Jonathan Seth Reynolds, Caroline Sloan and Emma Jane Sloan. Visitation is scheduled from 6:00 –8:00 PM on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler. If desired, memorials may be made to Abilene Christian University Music Department, ACU Box 29132, Abilene, TX 79699-9132.

Tommye Cowan

February 14, 1931 - November 13, 2011