Margaret Price Cowden peacefully died October 24th, 2023, in her home. A resident of Midland for over 70 years, she was regarded as a devoted wife and nurturing mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, a cherished friend to many, a valued champion for good causes in Midland, and a Christian whose life bore testimony to her faith.
Margaret was born on May 15, 1930 in Pampa, Texas to Willis Davidson Price, Sr. (Fady) and Margaret Chatterton Price (Honey) as part of a pioneer Texas Panhandle ranching family. The baby of the family, she was the tag-along sister to her three sisters – Mary, Martha, and Harriet and her brother, Buddy. She graduated from Pampa High School and attended Texas Tech where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority. Many years later, she served on the Advisory Board of the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech.
At the age of 16, she met Courtney Holt Cowden, Sr. in the drug store at the Scharbauer Hotel. Years later, Margaret came to Midland to assist her sister Harriet and her family after the death of Harriet’s husband. Courtney became an attractive nuisance during this period and after attending Tech for three years, marriage to the love of her life became inevitable and they married on January 12, 1952 in her parents’ home in Pampa.
They began their life together in Midland where Courtney’s family was rooted in two west Texas pioneer ranching families, the Holts and the Cowdens, and through that legacy, Courtney ranched with his brother for several decades. Margaret and Courtney enjoyed 52 years of marriage until his untimely passing on March 14, 2004.
Margaret’s greatest joys during this time were her life and travels with Courtney and the activities of her children – school, Little League baseball, Midland High School football, and Texas Tech. Holidays, trips to national parks, Disneyland, Hawaii, their vacation home in Ruidoso, and boating on Texas lakes filled their time together. Travels with Courtney included trips to England, Ireland, Germany, Norway, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Turkey, the Caribbean, Panama, and Mexico. Margaret called their trip to the Holy Land as her favorite.
Giving her time and talents to her church and community were part of her passion for service. A 70-year member of First Presbyterian Church, she served as a Deacon, several terms as Ruling Elder, as Clerk of the Session, as a choir member, Circle Leader, and Stephen Minister. Public school leadership roles included PTAs, as a Trustee of the Midland Independent School District, and as the MISD representative and secretary to the Midland Central Appraisal District.
Margaret was honored by the Girl Scouts of America with the Women of Distinction Award. She was a charter member of the Col. Theunis Dey Chapter - DAR, was a member of the Junior League of Midland where she served as Secretary, and served as the Chairman of the Friends of Fairview Cemetery. In 2013, she received the Beacon Award for Excellence in Governing Board Leadership. For over 30 years, Margaret’s pride and joy was serving The Village at Manor Park, a Continuing Care Retirement Community, as a Trustee and several years as Chairman.
Margaret is survived by her children, Cynthia Cowden Clark and her husband Dave of Pensacola, Florida and their children, John Clark and Susan Waters, Price Cowden and his wife Nancy of Estes Park, Colorado and their children, Christi Cowden, Sarah Faulkner, and Laura Pittman, Holt Cowden and his wife, Kaye of Midland and their children, Courtney Cowden, III and Chris Cowden, Lynn Cowden of Skellytown, Texas and his children, Kemper Cowden, Patrick Cowden, Craig Cowden, and Mary Caroline O’Neal, and Susan Cowden Raybourn and her husband, Kyle of Dallas and their children, Zach Raybourn, Scott Raybourn, and Michelle Raybourn. She is also survived by 29 great-grandchildren.
Margaret was preceded in death by her beloved Courtney, her parents, her sisters Mary Patterson, Martha Smith, Harriett Faudree, and by her brother, Buddy Price. She was also preceded in death by two grandchildren, Katherine Ann Clark and Blake Cowden Raybourn and by great-grandchildren,
Karl Hugo Doenges and Mary Caroline Cowden.
The family thanks Jerry Ewing for his many years of faithful service to Margaret and Courtney, to the dedicated caregiver staff led by Virginia Lozano, and for the excellent medical care from Dr. Summer Merritt.
A visitation with family and friends will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, October 29th at The Branch at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home, 3800 North Big Spring St, Midland, TX 79705. A memorial service to be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, October 30th at First Presbyterian Church, 800 W. Texas Avenue in Midland with the Reverend Steve Schorr officiating. Margaret Cowden will be buried in the Cowden Family gravesite at Fairview Cemetery following the memorial service.
Serving as pallbearers are Larry Bell, Matt Faudree, James Guleke, Willis Smith, Jerry Ewing and Jack Swallow. Honorary pallbearers are Margaret’s grandsons.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts honoring Margaret Cowden may be directed to: The Village at Manor Park, 2208 North Loop 250, Midland, TX 79707, to First Presbyterian Church, 800 W. Texas Ave., Midland, TX 79701, or to Friends of Fairview Advised Fund, Permian Basin Area Foundation, 3312 Andrews Hwy, Midland, TX 79703.
Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland.
Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.
