Tributes
Obituary Elsie Margaret Cowell nee Shennan
Elsie Cowell died peacefully at the Ottawa Civic Hospital Saturday May 14, 2022 at 11:30am. She was born July 4, 1921 in South March, Ontario to John and Edith (Kings) Shennan, who had emigrated to Canada from Great Britain after WW1.
John Shennan served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force under British command. John served with Edith’s brother and on one of his leaves in England John and Edith met and they married shortly afterward. After John de-mobed from the army, John and Edith left for Canada and established a country general store and blacksmith shop in South March, Ontario, where they raised five girls born only five years apart during the 1920’s and 30’s. Elsie was the second oldest of the five girls three of whom lived into their nineties.
Elsie died near the end of her 100th year as the last surviving sister. Elsie is predeceased by her four sisters, Betty, Ruth, Edith, and Grace.
Elsie married Walter E Cowell a local Westboro man in 1942 and together they raised three sons. Walter died unexpectedly in 1977. He was a career civil servant with 47 years of service with Dominion Bureau of Statistics, later known as Statistics Canada. They lived and raised their family in the west end of Ottawa, in what was known at the time as Nepean Township, and remained there for their entire married life. Elsie, Walter and their three sons all attended Nepean High School.
Elsie is survived by Dr. John Cowell the eldest son and his wife Monika (Schulte) (Calgary Alberta), Malcolm and Lucie (Leclerc) Cowell (Ottawa, Ontario) and Richard and Candace (Burtch) Cowell (Ottawa, Ontario). Elsie has 7 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews living across Canada.
Elsie was a strong and intelligent woman who was widely read and fiercely independent. As she would say she didn’t suffer fools lightly. She was a woman of strong convictions and personal values which have been passed on to her family.
We would like as a family to acknowledge the special devotion and support Malcolm was able to provide to our mother that enabled her to live independently until the last five years. She cherished her independence, and it was very difficult for her as her capabilities declined to have to move into a care home. She was very wise in her knowledge of nutrition and lifestyle and as such her health and well being allowed her to have a very active life style. But in the end her mobility and discomfort were such that we are very grateful that she had a peaceful death. She will be missed and fondly remembered for her love and devotion to her family.
Elsie was cremated at the Tubman Funeral home.
The memorial service will be held on September 17, 2022 at 11am, St Johns Anglican Church, 325 Sandhill Road, South March, Ontario.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her name to a charity of personal choice are welcome and can be arranged through the Tubman Funeral home website.
To send flowers to Elsie’s family, please visit our floral store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Elsie Margaret Shennan Cowell July 4 1921 May 14 2022 (age 100)..
Death notice for the town of: Nepean, Province: Ontario