Berthe M. Cowles Obituary

Berthe M. Cowles

Charleston - The Cowles Family shares news of the unexpected passing of Berthe E. (Mason) Cowles, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and great grandmother. Berthe died suddenly at the age of 86. She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Robert S. Cowles, and their family, Jennifer C. Bare and Darrell Bare, R. Curtis Cowles and Martha B. Cowles, their children, a great-grandchild (!), and Katherine M. Cowles and her child, as well as her brother Hugh Dale Mason and his family.

Berthe was born on 7 May 1939 in Attleboro, MA to Martha J. and Robert Parker Mason. She attended Attleboro High School '57 where she led the cheerleading squad, a role that sparked her involvement in team building. A graduate of Endicott College '59, she studied Fashion Design and worked in a Boston bridal salon, which set the foundation for a lifelong attunement to aesthetics. A strong proponent of women's education, she served as President of the Alumnae Association and then as a member of the Board of Trustees. She received the Outstanding Alumna Award in 1989.

In addition to her roles at Endicott, Berthe devoted herself to supporting community health and human services through her highly skilled marketing and fundraising efforts. In Attleboro, these leadership roles included service to: Sturdy Memorial Hospital Governing Board, Visiting Nurse Association, the Mayor's Council, Garden Club, Women's Club and the Hospital Auxiliary, where she oversaw 700 participating members. She continued to act with genuine dedication to community after moving to Londonderry, Vermont, turning her attention to historic and cultural initiatives. She and her husband shared duties as campaign chairperson for the inaugural Capital Campaign at Hildene, the Lincoln Family home in Manchester. In addition, she served on Hildene's Governing Board as Long Range Planning Chairperson. She was a hospice volunteer, the fundraising chair of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, The Stratton Foundation, the Mountain Valley Medical Center, the Londonderry Conservation Committee and the Londonderry Revitalization Committee. She was a member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. Many will remember her efforts to elevate women- owned businesses, and she herself acted as a florist/owner of Flower Ladies where she served mostly small- budgeted celebrations with heartfelt attention and a keen eye.

What drew many of these initiatives together was a deep appreciation for the way that simple beauties and attentive care can foster deep meaning. Berthe was a woman who made things. Quilting, needlepoint, painted furniture, pergamano, flower arranging, preserves, knitting- she understood that the aesthetic dimension requires an attitude of care and attention to the things we do; the pursuit of beauty is an important element in our humanity. Flowers in a sunlit vase, crisp ironed sheets, and tins of cookies were essential aspects of living and being with "B." And this is a woman who knew how to throw a party! A great cook who loved to dance, whether a formal black tie event or square dancing in the back yard, the bar was stocked and the laughter was loud! She was absolutely the "hostess with the most-ess" and ready for you with a big breakfast the next morning. May her memory be a blessing to those who knew and loved her.

She and her husband moved to Charleston, NC in 2017. Berthe lived a long and happy life where she tried to live her values of fairness and giving back with deep and meaningful service to her community.

The education, health, and historic preservation organizations where she contributed bear the significant mark of her participation. A celebration of Berthe's life will take place at The Chapel at Bishop Gadsden in Charleston, SC on April 24, at 11 am. An additional service will take place in Vermont at a later date.

Contributions honoring Berthe's memory can be made to Endicott College https://www.endicott.edu/give.

We invite you to share a memory and sign our guest book.