Obituary of Nehemiah Cowan

Nehemiah “Neil” Cowan is the second of four children born to the late Ernest and  Nelene Blake Cowan of Selma, Alabama.  He graduated from the Dallas County School System of Selma. He also graduated from Selma University, Alabama A&M University and the University of Florida in Gainesville where he met the love of his life, his wife Carolyn.  As Neil always said to his children, “The best thing that happened to them came from the University of Florida Gators.”

Neil taught scores of students in the Sarasota County School system where he was employed for 40 and a half years. He coached many basketball teams, including Venice High School, and coached the Booker Tornadoes to a state championship in 1982.

Carolyn and Neil have four children, Nehemiah, Jr. (Chaqueta) of Chelsea, Alabama; Nicholas (Jessica) Fayetteville, Arkansas, Nathan (Callie) of Venice, Florida; and Christen of Tampa, Florida. They have nine grandchildren: Asia, Malachi, Patrick, Lawson, Grace, Jaxson, David, Riah, and Avia. Neil has one brother, Jeremiah of Atlanta, Georgia; one sister, Gloria Weaver of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota; three sisters-in-law, Rebecca, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Dorothy, Selma, Alabama; and Juarine, Thorsby, Alabama; a special “son” Antione Butler (Keysha), Antionna and Antione II of Ft. Myers, FL; Camps brothers and sisters-in-law, many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.   He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Ernest Jr. and Jessie Cowan.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Neil's honor to the Church of God by Faith National Scholarship Fund, 2409 Old Middleburg Road North, Jacksonville, Florida 32210, or online at https://cogbf.org/index.php/give.