Delia Cowan of East Fork turned 105 on July 22

By Rose Hooper

That's according to her family, who has "unofficially researched" the matter. Her sister-in-law, Laura Cowan Hooper Sutton, lived to be 104.

Sunday family members gathered under the big pine tree in the lower Cowan yard at East Fork, the site of many Cowan family reunions and celebrations over the years. Absent from the shindig was the guest of honor, who was unable to leave Skyland Care Center.

"I'd say there's about 105 here... one person for every year of her life," said son Lloyd Cowan surveying the crowd.

Here Delia Cowan celebrates her 80th birthday. "I remember the big celebration we had on the lawn for her when she turned 80," said granddaugher Sharon Cowan Ridley. "We thought she was old then, but look how she has surprised us."

I have outlived "all my grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, uncles and-aunts, and two of my six children," said this daughter of the late Loranzie Dow and Lily Ann (Buchanan) Hall during an interview a while back.

"She spent so much of her time living and talking about what a good life she lived. I don't think she's ever talked about dying," said one of her granddaughters attending Sunday's festivities. "Delia worked hard, no doubt about it. But she never considered work, or life, a burden. To her, it was always a joy. After working hard all day, she just might pull out her harmonica and start playing a joyful tune," a cousin remembered.

"Hard work and honesty ­ she lived by those creeds," said another relative enjoying a plate of fried chicken and fresh creamed corn.

"She was our constant," said granddaughter Sharon Cowan Ridley. "No matter what was going on in any of our lives, whatever troubles we were experiencing ­ she was always there for us."

Ridley pointed to the attic room of the house where her grandparents raised seven children. "The roof was slanted, and you could lay in the bed by the window and listen to the rushing sound of the creek."

Whenever there was a family celebration or homecoming to observe, Delia Cowan, shown here at 85, could be seen with a cup of hot coffee in hand.

"Our house started out with two bedrooms, but seems every time Mamma had another baby, Daddy would add another room," said Lloyd Cowan.

Gathering there Sunday for the celebration, family members told hosts Scott and Gayle Cowan Lewis (Delia's granddaughter) how glad they were "the home stayed in the family."

As a young girl, Delia excelled in both academics and athletics and Jerome Phillips of Caney Fork remained her favorite teacher. "He kept the upper East Fork community 'reeling and rocking' with parades, debates, recitations, spelling bees and community events," she remembers.

Family members gathered Sunday, July 22, under the big pine tree in the lower Cowan yard at East Fork, the site of many Cowan family reunions and celebrations over the years. Sunday's celebration was in honor of Delia Cowan's 105th birthday. - Herald photo by Rose Hooper

When she married Roystan Duffield Cowan II, son of "Duff" and "Mandy" Cowan of Upper East Fork her "homework" increased to cooking three large meals a day for the kids and work-hands, ironing and darning the kids' clothes before getting them off to work or school early in the morning.

"I also did much sewing for my children and neighbors, making the children's clothes until they were grown. I also, with hand-clippers, cut the four boys' hair until they were grown," Delia said. "My six children attended the same one-teacher school built in 1904 that I did. Their school year was six months, while mine was but four," she said.

Frankie Aileen, born 1913 the oldest, died at age 3; Bennie Dean, born 1915, married George Settlemyre; Bernice Cowan Higdon, born 1918, Leo Broughton Cowan, born 1920, married June Bess then Kayce Curran; Lloyd Wilkes, born 1922, married Elizabeth Landis; Roy Stan Duffield III, born 1924, married Betty Hurst, and Roger Bryant, born 1927, married Carol Clemment then Sue Ensley.

She has 25 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and 25 great-great-grandchildren. The home that Roystan and Delia reared their seven children in was built around 1915 by "Dow" Hall.

It was a good place to raise her family, she said. "I was blessed with many of Roystan's family, as well as mine, scattered all around me. We have had good neighbors, nothing to be afraid of day or night, when people never locked their doors. Neighbor would help neighbor in time of health or sickness and borrowing things to prepare a meal was a way of life with country people. They always paid it back. It was always a peaceful little valley and I just hope and pray it will always be that way.

Alternating between their 88-acre mountain farm and "away jobs," Roystan did carpentry and construction work in other counties and other states. He worked many years with the Tennessee Valley Authority, where he worked on Pickwick Dam, Watts Bar Dam, Fort Laudon Dam, Norris Dam, and Fontana Dam. He was instrumental in building the Flat Iron Building in Asheville, and Burdine's Department I Store in Miami. He retired from public work at age 65, died in 1963 and is buried in East Fork cemetery.

Delia's "resting spot" will be next to him, when this 105-year-old mountain woman decides she has lived long enough.

Back to Archive: 07/26/01.