Beloved wife, mother, sister, and friend, Elizabeth Mair Cowper, passed away on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 in Houston, Texas at the age of 90. She was beautiful and brilliant, sophisticated and funny, and strong--so very strong.
A true Scot until the end, Elizabeth Mair was born on April 12, 1930 in Glasgow, Scotland to Hugh and Catherine McArdle Mair. She survived bombing raids over Scotland during World War II and kept her brother and sisters calm in the bomb shelters by telling them stories she made up while still a child herself. After the war, she was active in scouting and met the love of her life, Howard Montgomery Cowper, while at a camp meeting in Edinburgh. They fell in love and were married only six weeks later in New York City on August 20, 1955. She left her home and family to come to America and became a U.S. citizen in April 1963. She sought adventure throughout her life. She and Howard travelled the world and raised four daughters, finally settling down in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She insisted that all her girls receive a higher education and was so proud of her granddaughter who became a dentist.
She worked as an Executive Assistant to stock brokers, bank presidents, doctors, corporate CEOs and college athletic directors. She retired from the University of New Mexico after working in the Medical School and Athletic Department. “Once a Lobo, always a Lobo,” she would tell us, but her favorite title was simply, “Mom.” She lost Howard on July 20, 1978 in Albuquerque due to a botulism outbreak and became the primary breadwinner and an indefatigable force of nature for our family. She brought us through those hard times with grace and an inner strength born of her life experience.
She is survived by daughter, Ann Mair Cowper of Houston, Texas, daughter and son-in-law, Lois Elizabeth Cowper Preber and her husband Bradley James Preber of Phoenix, Arizona, daughter Carolyn Montgomery Cowper of Houston, Texas, and daughter and son-in-law Nancy Lee Cowper Trevino and her husband Ralph Trevino of Houston, Texas, her two beloved grandchildren, Dr. Heather Elizabeth Preber Knight and grandson-in-law, Saxon Knight of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Cameron James Preber of Phoenix, Arizona, sisters, Catherine Mair Heuston, and Josephine Mair Smith of Glasgow, Scotland, brother Hugh Mair and sister-in-law Jean Mair of London, England, many nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews in the U.S. and Great Britain, and too many friends and former co-workers to count.
She loved books and wine, travelling to the ends of the earth, and earnest conversations with people who knew what they were talking about. She was kind and unfalteringly generous, and always there for her family and friends. She encouraged dozens of co-workers and friends to complete their educations and achieve their dreams. She loved to discuss politics and current events and avidly texted her daughters and grandchildren daily. She could recite Shakespeare and Keats from memory and was a voracious reader. She was the most optimistic, positive person and her humor was contagious. Her most used phrase was, “You, girls!” She was truly loved and left a legacy of courage and strength and positive energy that led those around her to believe in themselves. Her favorite song was “We’ll Meet Again” by Vera Lynn to which we say, “Until we meet again, Mom.”
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