Stella Ruth Cowell

On August 5, 2026, the world lost a gentle light when Stella Ruth Cowell left us. She moved through life with a soft steadiness, grounded in generosity and endless patience with anything that was thrown at her. She was so very smart and had the answers to questions not even yet asked, offering guidance with clarity that made us feel safe, seen, and understood. She loved letters—writing them, receiving them, saving them to hold them close. In every envelope she sent, there was warmth; in every one she received, there was joy. Her passions were many and beautifully her own: sporty cars especially her Triumph Spitfires (1963, 1971 and 1972 models), cats and (sometimes) dogs, exploring new places, books, shoes chosen with delight ("you can never have too much money or too many shoes"), owls (real, ceramic and/or framed, the vitamins she knew would prolong her healthy life, anything touched with the spirit of the Southwest, her jewelry (for years...gold, then silver and turquoise) pieces she wore not just as adornment, but as small celebrations of color, memory, and meaning and especially, her family and close friends.

Stella had many talents, and she used them all—in work, in play, and in every chapter of her life. She could upholster a sofa, change a tire or the oil in her car, calculate income taxes even before Turbo Tax, drive a tractor, chop wood or hang wallpaper. If something needed to be done... she could and would do it.

Stella began her career as a front-desk receptionist at Plax Corporation in Connecticut, greeting each encounter with the smile that she wore every day throughout her life and the capability that would carry her far. She ran a full-service nursing home in Hudson Falls, NY, and began classes at a nursing school thinking she would follow her dear Aunt Ruth into the nursing profession. Stella never took the final tests for certification and moved in a totally different direction.

Life's turns brought the family to Levittown, PA, where she served as an administrative assistant at Levitt and Sons, a real estate development company. She also sold real estate during these years, proving once again that she could step into any role with competence.

She soon found her true work home at Educational Testing Service in Princeton, New Jersey. Between 1965 and 1969, Stella served first as secretary to Dr. James Conant, a central figure in the creation of Educational Testing Service, and then as a statistical assistant in the Research and Statistic Division. In late 1969, she left ETS for greener pastures in Florida, only to discover that the pastures are greener due to the intense heat and oppressive humidity.

During this sojourn, Stella opened the Pampered Poodle Parlor in Pensacola, where she groomed dogs of every kind with the same warm heart she offered to people. Before the end of the next year, Stella returned to New Jersey and ETS, beginning her second career there as a financial analyst in what was then Test Development Division. Three years later she became a budget analyst for General Program Services and later took a position within the Research Division.Somewhere between these two assignments, she and Bill Cowell got married. In 1977, Stella joined the Language Programs area and little by little her duties expanded, as she assumed responsibility for the TOEL Institutional Program, the Japanese and Russian proficiency programs, state and federal legislative matters, and others as the need dictated. As Stella's responsibilities grew, so did her yen for adventure. In 1980, she bought her first motorcycle which she quickly"tamed", prompting her to buy a bigger, more powerful version the very next year. With frightening horsepower at her command, chartreuse helmet and a leather jacket, she set off on a trip with Bill along the east coast, all the way to Florida and back. Although still far from their "Golden years",", Stella and Bill took early retirement in 1995. While on vacationwith the Elderhostel organization to Arizona, both fell in love with the state and immediately purchased land in Prescott.

They wasted no time to design and build their dream home high on the hill in Yavapai Hills. There, she embraced a full and joyful social life-book clubs, lunch bunches, water aerobics classes, chairing the agricultural committee at Yavapai Hills, and her cherished membership in P.E.O., a philanthropic sisterhood. She filled her days with friendship, curiosity, and community, living each moment with the same energy she had carried and shared throughout her life.

In their final years, Bill and Stella moved to Simi Valley, California, to be near her daughter, Gayle. They settled into a mobile home that they lovingly upgraded, creating a comfortable place for treasured art, their many photo albums, Stella's beloved dishes and glassware, hundreds of books, and Indian pieces—objects that held her history and reflected her spirit.After Bill's passing and after suffering more than a few "mini" strokes, Stella moved into Varenita Assisted Living, where she surely lived her best life. She was surrounded by care, comfort and the carefully curated belongings that she loved and it is where she passed quickly, peacefully, and without pain.

Stella was preceded in death by her husband of nearly fifty years, William Raymond Cowell; her parents, William and Elma Hough of Berwick, PA; her dear sister, Beverly Soback of Berwick, PA and her young grandson, Jeremy Weaver.Their memories remained close to her heart.

Stella survives by her daughter, Gayle Bradfield (James Bradfield), and her son, William Weaver of Durant, Oklahoma; her dear brother, Harold Hough; her grandson, Jason (Annette; and her granddaughter, Lindsay. She was gifted with two great-grandchildren, Amelia Ruth and Mason James, who brought her joy in her later years.

Stella was blessed with nieces and nephews who loved her deeply: RuthAnn, David, Beverly, Cindee, Janet, and Michael.She also had four stepchildren who showed her kindness and affection through the years; Thomas, David, Cheryl and Arvid. 

Even in her final years, Stella lived with the same joy and warmth that defined her life, bringing smiles to those around her. She looked forward to reading the latest Janet Evanovich novel, stay up late to watch episodes of The Curse of Oak Island or any home improvement show, attend P.E.O. Chapter KK meetings, and dinners and holidays with the "kids." She enjoyed outings in Varenita's fancy black Mercedes van to museums, local restaurants, TJMaxx and the candy shop.She cagerly accompanied Gayle to the grocery stores or Costco or anywhere else. Though she loved her iPhone, the"swipe" feature and "jiggling" icons" daunted her. Stella held a special fondness for her generous and caring cardiologist and the hospice nurse, who cared for her twice weekly.

Until the very end, she continued to do what had always done: make a home, make a life, and make people smile. And when her time came, she left this world exactly as she had wished quickly, peacefully, and with no fuss. If she could have written her own ending, she probably would have said, "What's done is done... just remember me kindly." And we surely will.

Her life was a tapestry of intelligence, creativity, good times, and strength-woven together with grace, humor, and a love that touched everyone fortunate enough to know her. Stella's presence was a comfort, her wisdom a guide, and her spirit a lasting gift. She lived fully, thought deeply, loved wholeheartedly, and-true to form-kept her jewelry close and her opinions even closer.

Stella's passing leaves a profound loss felt by so many, but her spirit, dignity, and her wonderful legacy will forever remain in our hearts.