Mary-Dudley Wiley Cowles

Cowles, Mary-Dudley Wiley
Columbus, NC: Mary-Dudley Wiley Cowles was born in 1914 in Oswego, NY and died in Columbus, NC August 6, 2008. She was the daughter of the late Charles S. and Anna May Wiley and the widow of Arthur B. Cowles who died in l998. She was a graduate of the University of Rochester and art courses at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She did the fashion shows and training at Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co. She was later former Editor of the Rochester Times Union "Shopping Column". In l947 she and her husband bought and restored the historic Riga Academy in Riga Township. Built as a stage coach tavern in 1811 it it now on the national register of historic places. She was Riga Historian; Co-Chairman of the Riga Sesquicentennial; secretary and member of the Riga Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals for 14 years; and Trustee of the Riga Free Library. For 20 years she and her husband owned and operated "The Chestnut Hill Studio, Ltd..", selling by mail order, finely-scaled miniatures of antiques and historic rooms. In 1975 she moved to Taylors, SC and in 1993 she and her husband moved to Tryon Estates Retirement Community in Columbus, NC where she was very active in activities there.
She is survived by one brother, Robert S. Wiley several nephews, a niece, and several grand nephews and 3 great great, grand nephews. An on-line guest register may be signed at:

www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com