June 21, 2008  

CARTHAGE, N.Y.  —  Mary Jane Cowles, 83, formerly of the Fargo Road, Carthage, died Friday, June 20, at Samaritan Keep Home, Watertown, where she had been a resident for over two years.

Born Nov. 7, 1924, at home in Harrisville, the daughter of Floyd and Hattie Downey Weekes, she graduated from Harrisville schools and the Watertown School of Commerce. 

She was employed for a short time in the office of Knowlton Brothers Paper Co. in Watertown, and worked for several area restaurants as a waitress and bartender. She was employed as a housekeeper for Fort Drum for twenty years, retiring in 1987. 

She married Milton P. Cowles, Sr. on Oct. 11, 1947, at St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church, Harrisville. He died Jan. 17, 2007.

She was a member of the Red Hat Society and a member of St. James Catholic Church, Carthage, where she regularly was a volunteer for the church bingo games.

Surviving are her seven daughters and their spouses, Betty Jean Matice and Joseph Vaccaro, Carthage, Nancy Beth and Wesley Clyde, Carthage, Linda Lee and Larry Paro, Md., Mary Louise and Roy "Butch" Beirman, Black River, Donna Marie Cowles, Antwerp, Valerie Gail and Brian Windover, Va., and Lisa Ann and Timothy Ulrich, Ohio; two sons and their spouses, Milton "Pete" and Dianne Cowles, Jr., Great Bend, and Joseph and Randy Cowles, Carthage; a brother and his wife, Harvey M. and Cecilia Weekes, Watertown; a brother, Floyd J. Weekes, Lake Bonaparte, 19 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and a great great-grandchild.

A funeral Mass will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 24, at the St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church, Harrisville, with Rev. Robert Decker, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Francis Solanus Cemetery, Harrisville. Calling hours will be held 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 23, at Bossuot-Lundy Funeral Home, Inc., 500 State St., Carthage.

Information provided by Bossuot-Lundy Funeral Home, Inc., and Newzjunky.com, Watertown, N.Y.