Sylvia Cowen…May 24, 1921 – April 11, 2016

Graveside Services for Sylvia Cowen will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at the Holly Cemetery in Holly, Colorado.  Mr. Dee Teal will officiate.

Sylvia Janney Cowen was born on May 24, 1921 in Byron, Oklahoma to James O. and Stella E. (Kirby) Robertson.  She passed away with family by her side on April 11, 2016 in Portales, New Mexico at the age of 94.

Sylvia was married to Russell Cowen on October 24, 1938.  To this union 7 children were born, James Russell, Lavara Lea, Elsie Rosalie, Florence Adell, Flora Janney, Sandra Mae, and Samuel Roy.

Sylvia spent many happy years raising her family.  As time went by she went to work at the Lamar Laundry.  She enjoyed many wonderful friendships making many lifelong friendships.  What time she wasn’t at Lamar Laundry, she spent buying and remodeling rental houses with her husband, Russell.

Russell passed away in 1990.  She later married Kenny Edwards.  Mr. Edwards passed away in 1994.  Later that year, Sylvia sold her rental properties and relocated to Portales, NM where she spent the next 20 years making new friends.  When in Lamar, Sylvia attended the Church of Christ.  She became a member of the Brozas Church of Christ in Portales.

Sylvia is survived by her children, Elsie Dunn of Lamar, CO, Florence (Harry) Spitzer of Lamar, CO, Flora Blake of Tucson, AZ, Sandra (Paul) Newsom of Portales, NM, and Samuel (Lavone) Cowen of Peyton, CO; sisters, Georgia Mae Thorpe of Manzanola, CO, Anna Reed of Colorado Springs, CO, Virgie Lucas of Ordway, CO, and Jean (Carl) Stiffler of Enid, OK; brother, C.A. Robertson of Robstown, TX; daughter-in-law, Bev Cowen of Seibert, CO; brothers-in-law, Don Smith of Vancouver, WA, Jack Davis of Lawton, OK;  22 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren.

Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents, James and Stella Robertson; first husband, Russell R. Cowen; second husband, Kenneth Edwards; daughter, Lavara Lea Cowen; son, James Russell Cowen; grandson, James Cowen; sisters, Elsie Hallmark, Lula Rouse, Leona Broce, Jo Alice Smith, Mary Davis; and brother, Frankie Robertson and son-in-law, Glen Dunn.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Sandias in care of Valley Memorial Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 950, Lamar, CO 81052.

For more information or to leave online condolences, please visit www.valleymemorialfc.com.