Obituary of Stephen Cowan

STEPHEN COWAN MCALLEN - Stephen Cowan,Beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away unexpectedly on Friday, July 31, 2020 at the age of 66. Stephen was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and spent most of his childhood in Evergreen, Colorado. As a young man, he served as a Combat Engineer and Staff Sergeant in the United States Army, where he learned the value of hard work, stewardship, and attention to detail. His military service included travel throughout the world, including to Germany and Iran. After serving his country, Stephen was honorably discharged from the military and made his way to South Texas where, as a skilled carpenter, dedicated himself to a career in construction. Throughout his over 40 years in South Texas, he married and raised three children, and developed his career in construction. His construction career in the Rio Grande Valley included overseeing many landmark construction projects and custom homes throughout the region. Steve was known for his exacting standards of excellence in workmanship and rigor in oversight. Stephen began his career soon after arriving in McAllen with Phase II of Water Walk Subdivision, and his projects throughout the years include prominent buildings and complexes such as portions of the Water Tower Centre and Lindberg Center, Ciro’s restaurants in Edinburg and Weslaco, as well as a variety of custom homes throughout the Valley. Steve exemplified the value of hard work, stewardship, and attention to detail, and instilled those virtues in his children. His passion was his work and his family, and he remained dedicated to his children and devoted wife throughout. His family will remember him as a loving and thoughtful husband, father and grandfather with strong traditional values. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Dora, his children, Valerie (David), Christopher (Bethany), and Nicole “Nicci” (Andrew); stepchildren, Christopher, David, and Damien (Delia); and grandchildren, Joaquin Calvillo, Lazaro Calvillo, Ana Calvillo, Teresita Calvillo, Maris Calvillo, and Micah Calvillo; Maddox Cowan, Kinley Cowan, and Cooper Cowan; Madison Yost and Marc Yost; Julian Tijerina, Katherine Tijerina, Kasey Tijerina, and Emily Tijerina. He is preceded in death by his parents, Earl Cowan and Joanne Lollar, and his brother Sandy. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. with a 2 p.m. prayer service on Thursday, August 6, 2020, at Legacy Chapel 4610 South Jackson Road in Edinburg. Interment of his cremated remains will take place at a later date. Funeral services are under the direction of Legacy Chapels in Edinburg.