Roll Call Tribute

David Benton "Ben" Cowan 

June 17, 1956 - January 8, 2024 

Ben Cowan of Rio Hondo, Texas, 67, passed away peacefully at home on January 8th, 2024 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born June 17, 1956 in Denton, TX to Mary Ann (Jones) and Don D. Cowan.

From a young age, Ben was an avid outdoorsman with a passion for the sciences. As a child, he took apart many toys to see how they worked, some of them making it back together. A candle from the chemistry set he was gifted in middle school nearly burned down the Cowan family home on Palo Blanco, but luckily the fire was quickly extinguished. In high school, after unknowingly purchasing stolen bees, he discovered his passion for beekeeping. Ben graduated from San Benito High School and went on to Texas A&M University where he studied agricultural mechanics. After graduation he became a professional beekeeper, traveling with his bees from Texas to North Dakota and back.

Ben met his love, Tammy Baker, at the urging of his father Don who suggested he help the “Chicken Queen” with her award-winning pen of broilers at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show. It took several more meetings but the couple were finally wed on March 12, 1983 and set up home in Somerville, TX where Ben taught ag while working on his Master’s in Education at Texas A&M. Moving back to the Valley, Ben worked for the Cameron County Irrigation District for a few years before returning to the classroom at Rio Hondo High School where he taught a variety of science classes for many years. Not one to sit idle, Ben retired from teaching but took on seasonal entomology work, checking cotton fields around the RGV until his passing. When not drinking coffee at the Rio Hondo Stripes, restoring old generators, hunting, or fishing, Ben was loving on 6 grandchildren. It was important to Ben that he spend quality time with his grandkids, who lovingly referred to him as Grandaddy. Whether he was hosting sleepovers on his cots, reloading shotgun shells, giving boat rides, or tickling them into fits of laughter, he loved each and every moment with them and was quick to tell any and everyone what they were up to.

Ben lived life in service of others. He was a trustee at First United Methodist Church in San Benito but was just as content mowing their lawn. When someone needed help, Ben was there. He loved fixing things, especially when his talents could be used to help someone else.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Tammy Baker Cowan, children Elizabeth Cowan (Cody) Phillips of Rio Hondo and Logan (Kelsey) Cowan of College Station and grandchildren Hayden Davis, Vernon Jones, and Benton James Phillips, and Mary Elizabeth, Dorothy Ann, Bobby Dale and a soon-to-be fourth Baby Cowan. Ben is also survived by his mother, Mary Ann Cowan of San Benito, siblings Brad (Chris) Cowan, Carolyn Cowan Botkin, and DeAnna Cowan (Dave) Burton. He is preceded in death by his father, Don D. Cowan and brother-in-law, Tommy Botkin.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Vijian Dhevan for his compassionate care in Ben’s final days.

The Cowan family will receive friends and relatives on Friday, February 2, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home. A memorial service will take place on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in San Benito.

In honor of the many years Ben participated in the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, showing poultry as a competitor, serving on the Poultry Committee as an adult, and the many pens of chickens he helped local kids select for show, the family requests memorials, in lieu of flowers, to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, 1000 N Texas Ave., Mercedes, Texas 78570 or at https://www.rgvls.com/p/info/development-projects