John Cowan

1932 - 2010

John J. Cowan, 77, died of cancer at McCall Hospice House of Greenville on March 18, 2010. A resident of Greenville for the last eight years, he was born in Chester, Pennsylvania on November 14, 1932. Mr. Cowan served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956 with the rank of First Lieutenant. He graduated from La Salle University and received his Doctor of Law degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as a Senior Editor of the Law Review. After teaching law at Stanford University, he became a trial lawyer with the United States Department of Justice under Robert F. Kennedy. In 1967, Mr. Cowan moved to West Virginia to serve as the General Attorney for the West Virginia branch of the C & P Telephone Company. In 1978, he left corporate life to open a private practice of general law, which he enjoyed for 20 years before retiring in 1998.
Mr. Cowan acted in community theater productions in both Charleston, WV and Greenville, and was a member of the Piedmont Wood Carvers Club. He served as a volunteer in community organizations including Little League, Keep A Child In School, Red Cross, the Greenville Literacy Council and Project Host.
He is survived by his loving wife of fifty years, Hilary; son Daniel and daughter-in-law Constance, of Pinch, West Virginia; son Patrick of Orlando, Florida; daughter Megan of Greenville; daughter Jennifer and son-in-law Paul Waters of Greenville; four grandchildren, Kathleen and Cara Cowan and Emma and Ian Waters; and two sisters, Jeanne Barbor, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, and Helen Byrne, of Miami, Florida.
The family would like to thank Dr. Kathy Christman at the Cancer Center for the Carolinas for her extraordinary care and compassion. Gratitude is also extended to the Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital 5th floor staff, as well as the staff at McCall Hospice House for their kind and compassionate care.
A private family service will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Project Host, PO Box 345, Greenville, SC 29602. Written condolences may be sent to P.O. Box 5502, Greenville, SC 29609. Online condolences may be made at www.legacy.com.
Cremation Society of South Carolina