Margaret Shields Cowan of Stuarts Draft, Va., peacefully entered eternal life at home with family members by her side on Friday, April 30, 2021. She was 88.
She was born in Bloomfield, N.J., to Edward and Augusta Shields. Margaret married William Cowan in December 1956. They lived in Germany and traveled all of Europe from 1958-1959 while he served in the U.S. Army stationed at Frankfurt aM Main. After William’s honorable discharge, they moved back to Clifton, N.J., then relocated to Franklin, N.J., in 1965 with their children.
Initially a career homemaker, later in life Margaret worked at Variety Fabrics in Franklin for a time, then with her husband at Restistoflex Corp., Roseland, N.J., as a bookkeeper. Beginning in 1998, she enjoyed working as a bookkeeper for her son at Willco Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heating in Branchville, N.J., for 15 years before retiring in May 2013. A professional at heart, she loved dressing up in business attire every day to go to work.
Margaret moved to Virginia in 2014 to be near her daughters and warmer climate. Margaret’s hobbies included sewing (she was quite the seamstress!), decorating, shopping with her daughters, and international travel. She would share wonderful stories of all her excursions and visits to historic places.
Margaret is predeceased by her husband, William H. Cowan Sr. (1997), and her brother Edward Shields (2007).
She is survived by her brother Lewis Thomas Shields of Dover, Del. She was the beloved mother of Katherine Schenker and her husband, Jerome, of Stuarts Draft, Va., Helen Brewbaker and her husband, Brian Sr., of Blue Ridge, Va., and William H. Cowan Jr., and his wife, Laura, of Branchville, N.J.; loving grandmother of Justin Dunn and his wife, Rachel, Brian Brewbaker, Jr., Sarah Brewbaker, and William H. Cowan III and his wife, Caitlin; cherished great-grandmother of Raelynn and Liam; devoted aunt to April Lopez, Lewis Shields, the late Thomas Shields and numerous other nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held May 5 at Immaculate Conception Church, Franklin, on May 5, with Mass immediately following. Private entombment under the direction of F. John Ramsey Funeral Home, Franklin, is at Immaculate Conception Cemetery Mausoleum, Hardyston Township, N.J.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made Immaculate Conception Church, Franklin.