Joyce Ann Cowan, 84, from Crawfordsville, passed away at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the home of her daughter in Crawfordsville with her family at her side.
She was born Oct. 13, 1937, at Peoria, Illinois, the daughter of Rudolph and Edna (Harmon) Smith. She is survived by Vernon “Bobby” Cowan who she married on April 5, 1964, in Keokuk, Iowa.
Also surviving are her five children, Elizabeth (Randy) Cordell of Crawfordsville, Verna (Darrell) Caho of East Peoria, Illinois, Rachel (Jim) Campbell of Crawfordsville, Sharon (Jerry) Burdess of Cuba, Illinois and Sam (Stephanie) Cowan of New Washington, Indiana; 15 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two sisters, Helen Adams of Zanesville, Ohio and Loretta Kotzmoyer of Landisville, Pennsylvania; and brother Frank (Juanita) Smith of Greenville, South Carolina.
Joyce was preceded in death by six brothers and sisters.
Joyce graduated from Limestone Community High School in Bartonville, Illinois. She was a homemaker dedicating her life to her family. Joyce was faithful in serving God, by providing lodging and food to many of God’s servants over her lifetime. She was a devoted and active member of several churches over the years. Most recently she was a member of the Fremont Street Baptist Church in Crawfordsville, where she and Bob resided.
Joyce loved to entertain and was an excellent cook who always had a home that was warm and inviting to all who came by. She loved her grandchildren and they called her “Meme.” She had a way of making her grandchildren feel special in their own way. Joyce will be greatly missed by her husband, family, friends and acquaintances.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Monday, May 23 at Shawgo Memorial Home in Astoria, Illinois. Pastors Howard Love and Pastor Dan Aldrich will officiate. Visitation will be 1-3 p.m. prior to the service Monday. Interment will be held in the Mount Zion Cemetery in Astoria, Illinois.
Memorials in Joyce’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
