Dr. Seth B. Cowan

April 13, 1929 - November 28, 2021

Services for Dr. Seth B. Cowan, 92, of Tyler will be held on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at Stewart Family Funeral Home in Tyler with Roger McCowan officiating. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. at Manchester Cemetery north of Clarksville under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Dr. Cowan passed away Sunday, November 28, 2021, in Tyler. He was born April 13, 1929, in Manchester to Seneca Cowan Sr. and Fannie Mae Covington Cowan. Dr. Cowan was a member of Glenwood Church of Christ. He received his B.A. from The University of Texas Austin,1949 and completed his medical school training at The University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston (M.D. 1953). He was a former President of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, former President of the Texas Academy Family Physicians Foundation, and Founding Chair of the Governing Council, Baylor Garland Family Medicine Residency. In 2014, he was presented with the prestigious Physician Emeritus Award by the Texas Academy of Family Practice. Seth married Tommye Faires of Jacksboro, Texas in 1956. They were married in Zurich, Switzerland and lived in Izmir, Turkey from 1956-1958 where Seth was a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corp and oversaw the base hospital. Dr. Seth Cowan began his medical practice in Colorado City, Texas with the Rhode-Cowan Clinic in 1954. All three of the Cowan daughters were born in Colorado City. In 1962, Dr. Cowan moved to the Garland, Texas area and began a solo practice. Dr. Victor Allen joined Dr. Cowan in 1966 and established the Family Clinic of Garland. Additional family practice physicians joined the practice, which eventually became Family Healthcare Associates in 1994. Dr. Allen and Dr. Cowan practiced together for over 40 years; Vic was an ever present loved and trusted family friend and medical partner. Always a champion of education, Dr. Cowan was one of the pioneers of higher Christian education in the Dallas area, as Chairman of the Board, Christian College of the Southwest 1968-1970. He also served on the Board of Visitors committee and the Science-Math Committee for ACU for several years. On a volunteer basis, Seth served as Associate Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas Southwestern Medical School. Community involvement, service, and generosity were guiding principles of Dr. Cowan’s life. He was involved in the Chamber of Commerce in Colorado City and Garland, and various other civic committees. Participating in several medical missionary trips, Seth and Tommye visited areas in Guatemala in need of medical assistance. Seth was a charter member of the Board of Mission Resource Network. Seth was awarded the 2017 Philanthropist of the Year award by the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Cowan served as an Elder at Austin Street Church of Christ in Garland for many years. He and Tommye also attended Highland Oaks Church of Christ in Garland. After moving to Tyler, Seth was active at Glenwood Church of Christ, including service on the Mission Committee. He was listed as a Top Doc in D Magazine 1999, 1996. He was Family Physician of the Year Texas Academy of Family Physicians 1989, and served on various committees of the TAFP. Dr. Cowan is preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Tommye Faires Cowan. He is survived by his daughters, Cathy Howell of Tyler, Elizabeth Reynolds of Edmond, Oklahoma and Lauren Sloan and husband Mike of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; brother, Seneca Cowan Jr. of Detroit, Texas; grandchildren Jarrod Howell and wife Kristen, Tyler Howell, Kate Reynolds and husband Mark, Jonathan Seth Reynolds, Caroline Sloan, and Emma Sloan; and great-grandchildren, William, Noah, and Eleanor Howell. Dr. Cowan was very fond of his nephews, Mark and Jim, niece, Mary Kay, grand-nieces, and enjoyed his extended family. Honorary pallbearers will be Seneca Cowan Jr., Dr. Victor Allen, Mike Sloan, Jarrod Howell, Tyler Howell, and Jonathan Reynolds. Visitation is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway in Tyler. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mission Resource Network, www.mrnet.org .