George Sowards

1921 - 2015

ST. MARYS — George Sowards left us to be with the Lord on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, at the age of 94.

Born in 1921 in Pound, Virginia, and raised in Morgan County, Kentucky, George was the son of Paris Jefferson Sowards and Melinda Geneva (Potter) Sowards. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his wife of 58 years, Mabel (DeBord) Sowards, who died in 2002 and by two of his sons, infant, Jeff Sowards, who died in 1946, and Timothy Sowards, who died in 2003. George was also preceded in death by seven of his eight siblings.

A brother, Arthur Sowards, of Springfield, survives. Two sons survive, George Sowards (wife Beatrice), an independent businessman, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Ken Sowards (wife Monica), a retired school teacher of Fort Loramie, Ohio. He is also survived by five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren as well as numerous nephews and nieces.

A veteran of World War II, George Sowards served in the 95th Infantry Division in Europe. As a result of that service to his country, George Sowards was awarded two Purple Hearts, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star. Following the war, he settled in Middletown, where he and his wife Mabel operated the Burger Basket Restaurant on Crawford Street until the early 1950's.

For more than 30 years he sold real estate, initially with his father-in-law Ralph DeBord and later as a broker in his own right. In addition, as a building contractor, he built dozens of homes in and around the Middletown area. He was a 50-year 32nd Degree Mason, a 50-year member of the American Legion and a long standing member of both the VFW and the DAV.

In his prime he was an avid hunter and fisherman. His hunting dogs were the envy of all of his fellow hunters. In his later years, George was content to work in his beloved vegetable garden and to attend The Church at Mayfield, where his brother Frank Sowards had served as pastor for many years. One of his greatest joys in this life was to hold his great-grandchildren in his arms. Loved and respected by all who knew him, he will be sorely missed. Those who loved him are comforted in the knowledge he died knowing Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

His sons wish to extend a word of thanks to the staff and nurses at both the Springhills of Middletown and the Otterbein Lifestyle Community of St. Marys, Ohio. The staffs of both facilities became like a second family to George in his final days.

Visitation services will be held Wednesday at Breitenbach-Anderson Funeral Home, 517 S. Sutphin St., in Middletown from 6 to 8 p.m., with Masonic Funeral Rites taking place at 7:30 p.m.

The funeral service will be at Breitenbach-Anderson on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Brian Cox officiating. Interment will be at the Union Township Cemetery in West Chester.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity of one's choice or to a local Hospice.