She is predeceased by her husband Charlie Clayton Sowell and her son Charles Ray Sowell.
She is also predeceased by her two sisters Viola Maxwell and her husband Floyd; Inez and her husband Jewel E. Martin; and brother Don Lee Fleming and his wife Adelle Davis Fleming.
She is survived by her son, Vernon Kay Sowell and his wife Sandi Turkington Sowell; daughter-in-law Monica Sowell; grandchildren; Lisa Luke Herlihy and her husband Patrick; Rayleen Mace and her husband Rob; Clay Sowell and his wife Melissa; Maureen Binger and her husband Bill; Brandon Sowell and his wife Linda; and Elizabeth Sowell.
She was survived by nine grandchildren: Cameron and Tyler Ballew, Charles and Sam Ray, Jake Binger, Abigail and Hannah Sowell, and Ryan and Peyton Sowell.
It is an honor to celebrate a life lived to the fullest. Edith was loved by everyone who knew her. She was pleasant, good natured, patient, and kind. Quick to help with a smile on her face, she was a peacemaker and rarely ever complained.
Edith’s husband Charlie was in the military, serving in the United States Army Air Corps and United States Air Force. His career took them to many places including stations in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Japan before settling in Universal City, Texas.
Edith worked at the Base Exchange (BX) for 15 years. She began at the base in Japan and later worked at RAFB. She started at the checkout register but moved up to working as a bookkeeper. She was excellent with numbers; meticulous and detailed. When she and Charlie retired in Universal City, Texas, she continued to work at the BX until her retirement. Later she worked as a seasonal florist at the Arbor Flower Shop in Universal City. She made many friends there and really enjoyed the camaraderie and expressing her creative side in flower arranging.
She was always active and involved in sports, games, and the community. She was a starter on her high school basketball team and received a scholarship offer to play basketball in college. She and Charlie later joined a bowling league and they loved cards and dominos, with Pinochle being one of her favorite games. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Daughters of the Nile, Red Hats Society, and the Model A Club as well as volunteering her time over the years.
Her other joys included sewing, quilting and her yard and garden. She attended church regularly and was a founding member of Rolling Oaks Christian Church. Edith was a fantastic cook and was the center of our family gatherings. She was the heart of our family and every holiday and occasion was full of good food and much laughter; a running joke is one of us always burned the rolls because we were usually engaged in conversation and laughter.
She lived her life to the fullest and traveled all over the world including Russia and China after Charlie retired. She loved to visit new places and for many years they owned a RV and frequently took their grandchildren with them to visit museums, state parks, rivers, and historical landmarks.
However, her main joy in life was her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved and adored them and devoted much of her life to their wellbeing.
For all of us left behind, we are grateful and better human beings for knowing her. She leaves so many happy memories and those memories are the legacy of the kindness and love that she shared with others her entire life.
The family is especially thankful to Monica and Clay for caring for her and being her advocate over the last several years. We are eternally grateful...
A Funeral service will be held on Thursday December 12, 2019 at 2:00pm at Colonial Funeral Home in Universal City. She will later be interred at Ft. Sam with Charlie.
