Mildred JoAnne Strouth McCowan

Mildred JoAnne Strouth McCowan, of Richlands, VA, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, wife, and friend, passed away peacefully in the care of Clinch Valley Medical Center on Thursday, November 13, 2025. Within minutes, the sky opened up and ushered her to heaven.
Mildred was born on December 3, 1938, in a one-room cabin in Red Ash, VA, to the late Hassel Strouth and Mary Strouth Gross Goodie. Through the years, she held various jobs, from working in the sewing factory in Richlands, VA, to working at Dairy Queen with her daughters, and her dedicated work as a CNA at Abernethy Center in Newton, NC. At one point, she even told Don to "scoot over," she was going to move mobile homes for a while.
JoAnne was known for her adventurous trips to the lake and summer trips to Maryland and other various beaches.
In 1953, she married Don. They were together for 45 years and had eleven children, but also raised countless other children she called her own. She was a grandmother of many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Donald "Don" McCowan; daughters, Barbara Cruey, Mary "Birdie" Byrd, Tammy Sue Dowdy, Donna Jean Compton; sons, Donald McCowan, Jr., James McCowan, and Timothy McCowan, Sr.; grandson, Robbie Lawson; sisters, Priscilla "Shell" McGlothlin and Patty Hale; and brothers, Hartzel Strouth and David Goodie.
She is survived by her:
Daughters:
Janet Lawson of Richlands, VA
Missy Meadows and her companion, James, of Honaker, VA
Sons:
Marcus McCowan and wife, Sabriana, of Richlands, VA
Timothy D. McCowan, Jr. and his companion, Charolette of Cedar Bluff, VA
Brother-in-law, Stanley of Raven, VA
Sister-in-law, Theresa Goodie
Also surviving are twenty-one grandchildren and several great-grandchildren, along with many friends and family.
Funeral services for Mildred JoAnne McCowan will be conducted on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 2:00 pm at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Chapel in Richlands, Virginia, with Pastor Shelia Stanley officiating. Interment will follow at Clinch Valley Memorial Cemetery in Richlands, VA. Pallbearers will be Stan McGlothlin, Stanley McGlothlin, Jeremy McGlothlin, Paul Donald Cruey, Darrell Brown, David Yates, Keith Newberry, Zachery Gross, and James Gunn. The McCowan family will accept family and friends from 12-2 pm at the funeral home. Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands, Virginia, oversees arrangements, and those wishing to express sympathy online may do so at www.hurstscottfuneralhomes.com