Margo Cowan

Mrs. James L. Cowan, of Uvalde, died on March 19, 2023, two months shy of her 104th birthday

Her celebration of life will be at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, at Uvalde Methodist Church.

Margo was born May 25, 1919, in Coryell City, the middle child of Methodist minister Claude T. and Stella Brockette. She and her brothers and sisters -- Marlin, Fran, Mary Ruth and Claude -- and the family lived throughout Central Texas in small communities where her father was assigned as pastor.

She graduated Holland High School and attended Southwestern University in Georgetown before becoming a school teacher.

In 1940 she married James L. Cowan. She raised two sons, Jim and Bill, while James served in the Navy in World War II. After the war James entered banking in Killeen, where two more sons, Bob and Jack, and daughter Jill were born.

After living in Houston and Skiatook, Okla., they moved to Uvalde in 1964. They joined First Methodist Church, where Margo sang in the choir and was involved in church activities for nearly 60 years.

Margo was an athletic youth and spent much of her married years supporting her children's sports activities. She endured the years 1966 through 1970 as her three eldest sons served tours of duty in Vietnam, Jim as a Navy journalist with a Seabee battalion, Bill as a lieutenant in the Infantry and Bob as an Army helicopter pilot.

After James's death in 1978, her life revolved around the church, friends and her remaining family in Uvalde, Jill and husband Steve Stoy and their three daughters, Alana, Amy and Margo, and later her great-grandchildren.

Margo also became adept at needlepoint, and her work was exhibited at El Progresso Memorial Library.

She was vibrant and active almost to the end and lived independently until early March. The family is grateful to her friend Lupe Castellon, who was especially helpful to Margo in her final months.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Uvalde Methodist Church, 301 N. High St., Uvalde, TX, 78801.

Margo was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers and sisters, sister-in-law Mary Brockette, brother-in-law Bill Cruise, daughter-in-law Ollie Cowan and and an infant son who died at birth.

She is survived by her children Jim Cowan, of Houston, Bill Cowan and wife Beverly, of Sherman, Bob Cowan and wife Linda, of Bixby, Okla., Jack Cowan and wife Peggy, of San Angelo and Jill Stoy and husband Steve, of Uvalde; her grandchildren Channing Cowan and his wife Marta, Susan Miller and her husband Mark, Jerry Pruitt and his wife Sandra, Kelley Bliznak and her husband John, Bobby Cowan and his wife Angel, Daniel Cowan and his wife Amanda, Alana Gatto and her husband Jody, Amy Falkenberg and her husband Nyland and Margo McElroy and her husband VJ; and her great-grandchildren Bella, Stephen, Anthony, Gina, Christopher, Mark and Adam Gatto, Gage Falkenberg, William, Kate and Amelia McElroy, Aiden, Bennett and Cooper Cowan, Victoria and Natalie Bliznak and Steven and Austin Miller. She also is survived by her sister-in-law Bennie Brockette of Katy and several nieces and nephews.

Honorary pallbearers are Channing Cowan, Jody Gatto, Stephen Gatto, VJ McElroy, Nyland Falkenberg, Bobby Cowan and Daniel Cowan.