Lorena Cowan

Funeral services for Lorena Antoinette “Butter” Jones Cowan, 92, of Cleburne, Texas will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 13, 2013 in the Rosser Funeral Home Chapel, 1664 W. Henderson Street, Cleburne, Texas. The Rev. Eddie Freeman will officiate with the assistance of the Rev. Dan Burt.
Burial will follow at Cleburne Memorial Cemetery.
The family will receive visitors from 9 – 10 a.m. at Rosser Funeral Home one hour prior to the service.
Honorary pallbearers will be great-nephews, Richard Rucksdashel of Richardson, Matt Jones of Longview, Tye Jones and Brian Baker of Houston, and Kyle Jones of Austin.

Lorena was born in Cleburne, Texas on April 15, 1921 to George Albert and Rena (Butler) Jones. She was the youngest girl in a family of twelve children. Lorena graduated from Cleburne High School in 1939 and started working as personal secretary and bookkeeper for Cleburne businesswoman, Mrs. A. J. Wright, in 1941. Lorena continued working for Mrs. Wright and her nephew, Mr. Aubrey Preston, until Mrs. Wright‘s death in 1980.

Lorena married Bill Cowan, a retired Santa Fe Railroad employee, in 1977. Following his death, she joined her sister, Mary B Johnson, at Chaf- In Restaurant where she greeted the “early morning” coffee and breakfast patrons. Lorena, also known as “Butter”, started working as an election judge in 1954. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, Ruth Chapter #20 having held the office of Worthy Matron in 1979. Lorena was a life-time member of Henderson Street Baptist Church where she sang in the choir and was a member of the Helen Bruner Circle.

Lorena was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Cowan; parents, George Albert and Rena Jones; five brothers, Thomas, Miller, William (Bill), J.W. (Cotton) and Bentley Jones; six sisters, Allie Smith, Susie Jones, Grace Averitt, Ernestine Emory, Mary B Johnson and Lola Baker. Lorena was also preceded in death by a very special niece, Sherry Lou Jones, the youngest daughter of Lorena’s youngest brother, Bentley Jones. Prior to her death at the age of 18 from bone cancer, Sherry spent many summers and holidays with her favorite aunt, known by the nieces and nephews as Aunt Buckey.

Lorena is survived by her sisters-in-law, Mary Morrow Jones of Cleburne and Margie Jones of Idaho. She is also survived by nieces and nephews: Fayrene Averitt White of Dallas, Texas, Ann Averitt Thompson of Hubbard, Texas; David Jones of California; Kenny Jones and Richard and Rena Curtis of Idaho; Larry and Georganna Baker and Gary and Susan Baker of Houston, Texas; Bentley and Carol Jones and David and Jackie Jones of Longview, Texas; Ray and Cindy Rucksdashel of Houston, Texas; four great-nieces, Emily Baker Reagor of Pflugerville, Texas, Jennifer Jones Orgeron of Texarkana, Texas, Ginger Jones West of Longview, Texas and Lori Ann Rucksdashel of Anchorage, Alaska.

The family is very grateful to Bill Cowan’s family, Aubrey Preston’s family, Carl Chafin’s family, all the employees and patrons of Chaf-In Restaurant and the other gracious people of Cleburne who befriended, not only Butter, but also Allie, Miller, Ernestine and Mary B.

Lorena’s nieces and nephews would like to express our appreciation and thanks to the wonderful employees and staff at Town Hall Estates in Keene, Texas who lovingly cared for Lorena the last ten years of her life.
Memorials may be made to Henderson Street Baptist Church, 919 E. Henderson St, Cleburne, TX 76031.