Ralph Edward Cowart

RALPH EDWARD COWART, age 85, of the Mineral Springs Community in Jemison, passed away on December 2, 2025, at The Village at Cook Springs in Pell City, Alabama. He was born in Birmingham on May 26, 1940, the son of the late Collis Cowart and the late Ella Nail Cowart.

Ralph was a painter by trade, but the work of his hands was only a small reflection of the gifts God had given him. Throughout his life he pursued many different occupations, and in doing so he gathered a wealth of knowledge that he carried with humility and generosity. Ralph believed that wisdom was meant to be shared, and he freely offered it to anyone the Lord placed in his path. Whether it was a practical skill, a life lesson, or a word of encouragement, he gave it with a servant’s heart. He served his country honorably in the United States Air Force and the Air National Guard, and he viewed that service as a blessing—another way God allowed him to contribute to something larger than himself.

Later in life, Ralph and his wife, Marsha, made their home in the Mineral Springs Community. Together, they walked faithfully with Christ and found deep joy in belonging to their church family at Mineral Springs Baptist Church. Their faith was not merely something they professed—it was something they lived daily. They embraced their church as the family God had provided, especially as their own families had gone on before them. For Ralph, the fellowship of believers, the preaching of the Word, and the love of his church community were treasured gifts. He and Marsha poured themselves into the life of the church and were deeply loved in return.

He is survived by: Wife, Marsha W. Cowart of Jemison; and the congregation of their beloved church, Mineral Springs Baptist Church.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 5, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. from Mineral Springs Baptist Church with Rev. J. Aaron Ellison and Rev. Jason Green officiating.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.

Burial will follow in the Mineral Springs Baptist Cemetery in Clanton.

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day…” — 2 Timothy 4:7–8 (KJV)

In honor of Ralph’s request, no flowers please. Donations may be made instead to The Big Oak Ranch, a cause held dear to his heart and reflective of his lifelong desire to help those in need.

Final care and arrangements are entrusted to Ellison Memorial Funeral Home of Clanton, AL.

www.EllisonMemorialFuneralHome.com