Funeral for Deacon Leroy Cowley, Jr., 65 of Suwanee, GA and formerly of Decatur, AL will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 1, 2014 at Westside M.B. Church with the Reverend Joe Jackson, pastor of The Lord’s House Community Church of Norcross, Georgia officiating and burial to be announced later with Reynolds Funeral Home directing.
Deacon Leroy Cowley, Jr. was born May 5, 1949 to the late Leroy Cowley, Sr. and Ernestine Smith Cowley in Decatur, AL. He departed this life on October 23, 2014 in Duluth, Georgia.
Leroy who was affectionately called “Brother” was raised in a Christian home and confessed Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age 12 at Westside Baptist Church under the pastorate of the Rev. Earl Scruggs.
He attended Lakeside High School in Decatur and upon graduation in 1967, enlisted in the United States Armed Forces and served this country honorably in the Vietnam War. After his safe return from Vietnam, he was united in holy matrimony on December 18, 1971 to Jessie Pearl Mims and to this union were born two beautiful daughters, Karyn Cowley, MD, and April Cowley, JD.
God blessed him with a highly accomplished professional career with Bell South that extended more than 30 years across the Southeast. While living in Huntsville, AL, he and Pearl united with Union Chapel, and when they relocated to Florence, AL, they united with St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church where Leroy served faithfully with the Young Men’s Ministry. In 1992, he moved his family to the Atlanta, GA metro area, settling in Suwanee, their current residence.
In Georgia, they united in Christian fellowship with Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, Norcross, GA where they worshipped and served for seven years. In 2002, the Lord guided them to unite with a new ministry as founding members, The Lord’s House Community Church, Norcross, GA. Leroy and Pearl were both ordained as deacons under the auspices of Pastor Joe Jackson. Through his faithful service, Leroy was appointed Chairman of the Deacons’ Ministry and church trustee. He was committed and served devotedly in both ministries.
As a military veteran, he was actively involved with a support group for veterans of various wars in Lawrenceville, GA where he had the opportunity to encourage and help many veterans to move forward with their lives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Cynthia Cowley and Joyce Lee Young and a brother, Michael Cowley.
Deacon Leroy Cowley leaves to cherish his memory: a devoted and beloved wife, Pearl Cowley; two daughters, Karyn & April Cowley of Suwanee, GA; five sisters, Patricia Diane Ayers, Decatur, AL; Alpheia Nance (John), Mt. Juliet, TN; Ernestine Stevenson (Wallace), Willie Esther Cowley (Bone), and Jean Lyle, all of Decatur, AL: four brothers, Dwight Cowley (Rita), Edward Cowley, Timothy Cowley, of Decatur, AL and Terry Cowley of Madison, AL; a beloved aunt, Mrs. Kathylean McDonald of Spring City, TN; and an uncle, Charlie Adams, of Cleveland, OH; a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends
