ELSIE DOWDY HILLIARD COWAN

ELSIE DOWDY HILLIARD COWAN, resident of the Somerville Community and retired Office Manager for the Fayette County Health Department departed the land of the dying to enter the land of the living at 8:45 P.M. Thursday, April 16, 2009 at the Lynchburg Nursing Center in Lynchburg, Tennessee where she had been a patient for four days. She was 87 years of age and died following a brief illness.

Funeral services for Mrs. Cowan were conducted at 3 P.M. Sunday, April 19th at the Peebles Main Funeral Chapel in Somerville with Dr. Robert (Bob) Elliott of Jackson, Tennessee, Retired Pastor of the Somerville First Baptist Church, officiating. He was assisted by Dr. Frank Crawford, present Pastor of the church. Interment followed in the Mt. Moriah Cemetery near Whiteville. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes-Main Chapel of Somerville.

Mrs. Cowan was born February 3, 1922 in Hardeman County the daughter of the late George Henry Dowdy and the late Tennie Walker Harvey Dowdy. She received her education in the Hardeman County Public School System.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Dixie Hilliard in 1953, her second husband, Joseph H. Cowan in 2004, and her son Bobby Hilliard in 2002.

Mrs. Cowan retired from the Fayette County Health Department in 1984 having served as the Office Manager for almost thirty years. Prior to that she and her husband, Dixie Hilliard, owned and operated the Pure Oil Service Station on the square in Somerville.

Mrs. Cowan was a longtime, devoted member of the Somerville First Baptist Church where she participated in numerous church activities until her recent illness.

She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who took much pride in her personal appearance and in the care of her home and lawn.

Mrs. Cowan is survived by one son, Dr. Baylon (Jane) Hilliard of Tullahoma; her granddaughter, Dixie (Conrad) Hilliard Powers of Somerville; her grandsons, Paul (Janette) Hilliard of Hixson and Phillip Hilliard of Nashville; her daughter in law, Brenda Hilliard of Baldwin, Mississippi;  five great-grandchildren; Trey and Davis Powers; Tyler, Cooper and Hunter Hilliard and two step-grandchildren; Davie and Derrick Johnson.

Those honored to serve as casket bearers were Conrad Powers, Earl Dowdy, Paul Hilliard, Phillip Hilliard, Carlton Morris and Bill Powers.

The family requests memorials be directed to the Somerville First Baptist Church Building Fund, 12685 South Main Street, Somerville, TN, 38068; Phone: (901) 465-3528 or to Mt. Moriah Cemetery Fund C/O Joyce Ann Pepper, Treasurer of Mt. Moriah Cemetery, 2380 Ina Road, Whiteville, TN 38075.