Wilma McCurley Cowart passed away at the age of 92 on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. She was a resident of West Monroe from 1953 until 2021, when she moved to Fort Worth to care for her daughter.

Wilma enjoyed spending time with her family and cooking as well as baking. She has been a member of Fair Park Baptist Church since 1964. At Fair Park she enjoyed the fellowship of the Magdalene Sunday School class; the Senior Adult Ministry; the Senior Ladies at Good Hope Baptist Church, and most especially Operation Christmas Child. While living in Fort Worth, Texas she attended Victory Baptist Church in Haltom City, Texas.

Wilma is now visiting with her parents, John and Leda Susan McCurley; the love of her life, Willie “Bo” Cowart; her daughter, Leda Susan Cowart Cresswell; son-in-law, Colin Cresswell; brothers, Ollie and Ernest McCurley; and her precious grandson, David Eric Cowart.

At eleven years old, Wilma became the mother and caregiver to her siblings when her mother passed away. This is a role that Wilma proudly accepted and mastered. Wilma quickly learned to bake as well as cook. Her family truly enjoyed the wonderful desserts that she proudly made for each family gathering. A few of the family favorites were her coconut cake, popcorn balls, and peanut brittle.

Wilma was swept off her feet at the local skating rink by Willie “Bo” Cowart. They married on December 1st, 1956. Wilma and Bo purchased a home in West Monroe and raised their four children. They owned The Rancher on Louisville Avenue until they retired in 1990. Wilma and Bo enjoyed many years of fishing and traveling to visit siblings, children, and grandchildren. Wilma loved to plan family reunions for her family. Bo passed away May 3, 2010. Wilma became a very active volunteer with the Operation Christmas Child ministry. She truly enjoyed ensuring that children around the world received a special Christmas gift. As a breast cancer survivor, Wilma was active in the Susan B. Komen events. Wilma learned to crochet and has donated many beautiful lap blankets and baby blankets to those in need.

She is survived by her children, Willie “Corky” and Kim Cowart, Don and Wendy Cowart, and David and Sharon Cowart; grandchildren, Jessica and Kevin Douglas, Justin Cowart and Erika Spoden, Amanda and Matt Cook, Susan Cowart, and David Humphrey, Piper Cowart, and Kate Cowart; seven great grandsons, Theodore Douglas, Marshall Douglas, Quentin Douglas, Alastair Cowart, Elijah Cook, Cassius Cook, and Sebastien Cook; her siblings, Jay and Sharon McCurley, Tommy and Linda McCurley, and Nita and Marion Wilson; her sister in law, Bobbye McCurley; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank Ray and Liz Parker for assisting Wilma so she could live independently in West Monroe.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00PM Friday, December 5, 2025, in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home, West Monroe with Rev. Waymond Warren officiating. Interment will follow in the Roselawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Calhoun, LA. Visitation will be held from 1:00PM until service time on Friday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to: Operation Christmas Child via Fair Park Baptist Church, 4412 Whites Ferry Road, West Monroe, LA 71291 or your favorite charity.