Obituary of Dorothy Burleson Cowles

On January 7, 2020 Dorothy Burleson Cowles died at her home in The Bay Club, at the Cypress, on Hilton Head Island.

Dorothy was predeceased, in 1993, by her loving husband, Carroll (Cal) Jackson Cowles. Together, in 1996, they moved to Hilton Head Island, where they built a home in Hilton Head Plantation.

Dorothy was born on December 7, 1928, in San Jose California, to Ethel Landstrom Burleson and Alfred Manning Burleson. She attended San Jose State University and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.

Dorothy and Cal were married on December 18, 1948 and were transferred several times through his career with Parke Davis & Co. and Warner Lambert; living in San Francisco, California, Honolulu, Hawaii, Fremont, California, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, Los Altos, California, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan and Morristown, New Jersey, before retiring in Hilton Head in July, 1986.

Dorothy had lived in the Bay Club for 14 years; a move she said was one of her best decisions, due to enjoying, the friendships of so many of her wonderful neighbors.

Dorothy was a member of the first Board of Directors at Volunteers in Medicine. She was a member of the Altar Guild and the Flower Guild at All Saints Episcopal Church, a church she and Cal helped to found. She belonged to Bear Creek Golf Club, where she was amazed to have had two holes in one. She belonged to the South Carolina Yacht Club, where she enjoyed playing bridge. Dorothy also did some tutoring at the Hilton Head Primary School.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Jane Cowles Horton, and son-in-law, George Shortland Horton, Il, of Stratford-upon-Avon, England and her son, James Charles Cowles, and daughter-in-law, Kathryn  Cowles, of London, England, Southampton, New York and Teton Village, Wyoming and by four grandchildren: George Shortland Horton, Ill, and his wife, Louise Horton, of London, England; Nicholas Cowles Horton, of Los Angeles; India Elizabeth Cowles, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Charlotte Aynsley Winifred Cowles of Washington, DC. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren: Marcus and Josephine Horton. Her sister, Marjorie Burleson Rice of Los Gatos, CA predeceased her last year.

A service commemorating Dorothy's life will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church, Saturday, February 22^nd at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to All Saints Episcopal Church, 3001 Meeting Street, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926; Volunteers in Medicine, 15 Northridge Drive, Hilton Head Island SC 29926 or H.O.P.E. Life, Lymphoedema and Rehabilitation, 60 Main Street, Suite G, Hilton Head Island, SC, 29926.