Violet Mae Cowdell Age 88, a resident of Cleveland, Tennessee, passed away Sunday, March 23, 2008 at the family residence. Mrs. Cowdell was the daughter of the late Bessie Belle Craven Ragan and Ivan Ragan. Her husband Reverend Millard L. Cowdell, her sister June Milton, and her brothers Richard Ragan and Ernest Ragan also preceded her in death. Mrs. Cowdell served along side her husband when they pastored in Kentucky, Washington, Oklahoma and Oregon, and when they served as overseer for Alaska, Panama and Central America. All together they served in the Church of God for more than 60 years. Mrs. Cowdell enjoyed reading, cooking, crocheting and sewing, and she was a member of the Westmore Church of God. Survivors include her son, Reverend Timothy Cowdell and his wife Reverend Paula Cowdell of Cleveland, her grandchildren, SSGT Timothy Cowdell Jr. and his wife Kathalina of Abilene, Texas, and Reverend Rachel Glenn and her husband Reverend Nathan Glenn of Collinsville, Alabama, her great-grandchildren Issac Cowdell and Jaysa Faith Cowdell, both of Abilene, Texas, her sisters, Jean Miller of Bloomington, Illinois, Jane Stokely and Betty Lee Jardine, both of Medford, Oregon, and special friends Reverend Lloyd Frazier and his wife Edna, Lorraine Alton, Reverend William R. McCall, Agnece Saintloth, and Reverend Wendell Smith, all of Cleveland. Several nieces and nephews also survive. The Remembrance of Life Funeral Service will be conducted Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 11:00 A.M. from the Centralia, Washington Pathway Church of God, 1416 South Scheuber Road, with Reverend Thomas Watkins and Reverend Terry Wetmore officiating. Interment will follow in the Greenwood Memorial Park in Centralia, with family and friends serving as pallbearers. The family will receive friends from 9:00A.M. until 11:00A.M. on Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at the Centralia Church. The Sticklin Funeral Chapel, 1437 S. Gold Street, Centralia, Washington 98531 has charge of the arrangements in Centralia.

Published in the News Tribune (Tacoma) on 3/29/2008.