Leona H. "Lela" McKowen, 79, of 4302 Rose Lane, Apt. 4, died at 12:20 am Sunday at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Mrs. McKowen was born in St. Louis, Mo., on Oct. 28, 1898, the daughter of Andrew and Anna (Davis) Smith.

She was a retired cook at the Setzekorn Nursing Home.

She was first married to Martin Riggs, in 1915. He died in 1918. On Dec. 26, 1921, she was married to Oscar McKowen, who died on August 12, 1948.

A Protestant, Mrs. McKowen was a member of the Eagles Auxiliary, and was a former member of the Jefferson Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 1:30 pm at Myers-Baril Chapel, with the Rev. Paul Brown officiating. Burial will be in Hopewell Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral chapel after 6 pm today.

Mrs. McKowen is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Ronald (Edna) Chambliss, Mt. Vernon; a son Nolan McKowen, Mt. Vernon; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her two husbands, an infant son, John Walter Riggs, one daughter, Lela Mae McKowen, one grandson, Ronnie Chambliss and one sister, Nona Duncan.

Source: Unknown
Date: December 28, 1977
Submitted by: Ken Richardson