B. Irene Cowan

Entering a place of peace and rest, B. Irene Cowan “Beatie” (nee Styers) passed away 8:50 a.m., July 13, 2022, at Wexford Healthcare, Pittsburgh. She was one week shy of her 88th birthday.

She was born July 20, 1934, to Raymond F. and Isabella I. (Walker) Styers.

Irene was a teacher for grades 4-6 and taught social studies, English, and penmanship in Shamokin Dam, Conneaut Lake, PA, and in Hanson, Mass.

She graduated from Mifflinburg High School in May 1952.  She worked her way through college including employment at Capitol Super Market in N. Quincy, Mass.  She received her B.S. in Elementary Education with a minor in Philosophy at Eastern Nazarene College conferred at Wollaston, Mass. in 1961.  She did post-graduate work at Nathaniel Hawthorne College, Antrim, N.H., and was certified in three states to teach elementary education: Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.  In later years, she passed the real estate exam and worked at Colonial Real Estate in Mifflinburg.

Irene sang and played both the piano and pipe organ for church services, weddings and Easter cantatas and enjoyed playing her own piano at home.  She also enjoyed gardening, reading, and as a seamstress made dresses, skirts, slacks and curtains.  She wall-papered many rooms and enjoyed interior decorating.

She was married to Ronald Altic on Feb 27, 1960, by Rev. Fred D. Pick, minister at the Church of the Nazarene in Mifflinburg, and divorced in 1969.

Her second marriage was to George W. Cowan Jr., (deceased April 2012) at South Deerfield, Mass., Congregational Church on March 14, 1970.  They had one daughter and were divorced in September 1972.

She is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Kristina Cowan-Giger and Gary F. Giger, Pittsburgh; and two sisters, Betty Oberdorf Dorman in Lewisburg; and Patricia Bastuscheck and husband, Edward, of Lewisburg.

She was preceded in death by four brothers: Charlie R. Styers, Donald E. Styers, Nevin Styers (died in infancy) and Nelson M. Styers.

Family and friends are welcome from 10 to 11 a.m., Tuesday, July 19, at Roupp Funeral Home Inc., 8594 Old Turnpike Rd., Mifflinburg, where the funeral will be conducted at 11, with Rev. Wayne Krell, officiating. Masks are optional.

Burial will follow in Mifflinburg Cemetery.

Leave your condolences online at www.rouppfuneralhome.com.