Josephine O. Cowder 98, of Bigler, PA died peacefully at her home on Sunday morning, July 1, 2012.
She was the wife of the late Reverend Cecil C. Cowder who died in 2008 and the late J. Bernard Owens who died in 1949 in a construction accident at Olive Hill, Kentucky.
Born March 10, 1914 at Bigler, PA she was a daughter of the late Lucian F. Houser and Lena A. (Williams) Houser.
She graduated from Clearfield High School in 1933 and worked as an administrative assistant at Harbison-Walker Refractories in Clearfield until her retirement in 1976.
Josephine was a very active member of the Bigler United Methodist Church and was a member of the church choir and a Sunday School teacher to a class of thirty teenagers whom she thoroughly enjoyed. She taught Sunday School at the church until May of 2010.
She served as a volunteer chaplain’s assistant at the Philipsburg Area Hospital until it closed its doors in 1996.
She was preceded in death by a step-daughter, Ann Marie Plummer, a step-brother, Lisle Houser, three sisters; Alma Kramer, Margaretta Cowder and Betty Wychulis and a brother, Frederick W. Houser.
Surviving are a son, James B. Owens and his wife Deanna of Silver Spring, MD, a step-son, John C. Cowder and his wife, Linda of Dunmore, PA, a son-in-law, Fred Plummer and his wife Sigrid of Houston, TX, seven grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and two great-great granddaughters.
She will be missed by many dear friends and family whose lives she touched over the years.
Friends will be received at the Bennett and Houser Funeral Home, Inc. of Clearfield on July 5 from 7-9 p.m. and at the Bigler United Methodist Church on July 6 from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of services at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Kathy Leigey and Pastor Lloyd McClarren co-officiating. Interment will be in the Summit Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Clearfield Foundation for Health and Hospice, P.O. Box 992, Clearfield, PA 16830 or to Bigler United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 416, Bigler, PA 16825.
To send online tribute goes to www.bennettandhouser.com or www.mem.com.
