Rev. Orrin Cowley, Sr.

Rev. Orrin Cowley, Sr., 62, of Martin died Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at McCabe United Methodist Church. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday at the church.

Interment will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 17, 2025, at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens on 9090 Highway 100 Nashville, TN 37221.

Orrin Atmore Cowley was born June 20, 1962, in Tupelo, Mississippi. His parents are the late Rev. Gilbert T. Cowley and Mrs. Viola S. Cowley. His wife of 35 years Mrs. Mercedes Ruth Handy Cowley whom he loved and cherished preceded him death.

Orrin received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at a young age and was baptized by immersion by his father. He received his call to ministry as a young boy, evidenced by the fact that he would play “pastor” wearing a bathrobe and preaching to his sister and her toys. When his aunt and uncle were in a terrible automobile accident in 1966, he comforted mourners by repeating “The Lord is My Shepherd”.

Orrin was given violin lessons in the 4th grade and loved to play as a service to others ever since his youth. He played in the Marshall, TX Symphony while in high school. He participated in the University Scholastic League Solo and Ensemble contest while he was in high school playing the classical piece "Concertino in E Minor" by Leo Portnoff Op .13 and received a 1 which is a Superior Rating for this competition accompanied on piano by his sister during his senior year in high school. He also played "Concertino" by Leo Portnoff with his sister at the Wiley College Freshman talent show in 1980. He was Mr. Upward Bound in high school, competing in the talent, modeling, and physical fitness portions of the competition and wowing the judges with his violin solo. He ran track and loved weight training. He sang in the Wiley College choir and was chosen as one of the most versatile of his freshman class. He was also a faithful and dedicated member of the Phi Beta Sigma Inc. fraternity.

Orrin started his education in Senatobia, Mississippi, continued his education in Atlanta, Georgia, and finished high school in Marshall, Texas in 1980. He graduated from Wiley College in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He completed his Master of Divinity from Gammon Theological Seminary in 2013.

Orrin was employed in several capacities including manager of the Cokesbury Bookstore in Houston, Texas, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Nashville, TN. He was also a Housing Director at Tennessee State University, and ultimately the longtime Pastor of McCabe UMC and Freeman’s Chapel UMC in Martin, TN.

Orrin leaves to cherish his memory his mother Mrs. Viola Smith Cowley of Irving, Texas; his son, Orrin A. Cowley, Jr. (Alena) of Hendersonville, TN; his daughter, Deidra Denise Cowley Clay of Martin, TN; grandsons: Alonzo, Ras, Jordan, Orrin III, and Samuel; granddaughters: Laila, Charity, and Yhana; sister: Jetawone (Kirk) Cowley Prestwood of Irving, Texas; brother: Rev. Edlen (Jennifer) Cowley of Richardson, Texas; sisters-in-law: Dorthy (Dee Dee) Davis of Franklin, TN, Rose Thompson of Alexandria, LA, Marie Bookman of New Orleans, LA, and Irma Brown (Calvin) of Alexandria, LA; brothers-in-law: Rev. Stephen Handy (Shelley) of Brentwood, TN, Robert Bookman (JoAnn) of New Orleans, LA, Elder Thomas Bookman (Sandy) of New Orleans, LA; uncle: James Smith, St. Louis, Missouri; aunts: Laura Love (John) of Forrest City, Arkansas, and Lela LeFlore of Cordova, Tennessee; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

McPhearson-Rawls Funeral Home - Union City 731-885-8110