William Payne Cowan

William Payne Cowan, 85, of Asheville, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, January 1, 2008, at John F. Keever Hospice Solace Center. A native of Jackson Co., he was the son of the late Harrison Taylor and Eva Gribble Cowan. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Harrison T. Cowan, Jr., and four sisters, Ethel Mae Cowan Muse, Lola Bell Cowan Rickman, Annie Ruth Cowan Swanger and Bertie Lee Cowan Muse. Mr. Cowan was a U.S. Army WW II veteran, a member of Inanda Baptist Church, where he served for many years as Chairman of the Deacons and Sunday School teacher. He was a retired salesman for Standard Coffee Company as well as a material handler for Square D Company. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Frances Jackson Cowan; two daughters, Judy Patton of Marion and Marie Jackson of Lorton, VA; two sisters, Eva Bethel Eckels of Venice, FL and Mary Rose Hartsell of Hampton, VA; and six grandchildren, Chad and Matthew Jackson and Christina, Michael, Katie and Ben Patton. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday in the Patton Avenue chapel of Groce Funeral Home with Revs. Charles Shelton, Terry House and Claude Surrett officiating. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. His family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Inanda Baptist Church, 590 Brevard Rd. Asheville, NC 28806 or Gideons International, P.O. Box 1007 Asheville, NC 28802.