Donald Earl Sowders

Command SGT. MAJOR (RET) Donald Earl Sowders, age 86, of Bowman, Georgia passed away on July 11, 2026 at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital surrounded by his family. Born on April 16, 1940 in San Saba, Texas, our Dad was a proud former soldier with the 101st Airborne Division which he joined at the age of sixteen. He served two tours in Vietnam and received two Bronze Stars for Valor and a Purple Heart. He never spoke of how he received these honors nor the details of the horrors he witnessed there.

Dad is best known for his honesty, friendliness, willingness to help, and the deep love he felt for his family. He had a huge soft spot for children and any type of animal as shown in his dedication to his fur-girl Miss Ann. He always wanted to feed everybody or pay them for "something".

In 1961while stationed in France he met the daughter of an Air Force family. Our Mom, Jeanette Ginn, turned out to be the love of his life. They were married in France on September 2, 1961and would have celebrated sixty-five years of marriage this September. He adored her and always questioned what he had done to deserve her!

He is survived by his wife Jeanette Ginn Sowders, three daughters, Candy Ayers (Sterling), Tracy McCall (George Coletti), Dawn Hill (David) and a niece, chosen as a daughter, Cathy Westbrook (Karl). He has five living grandchildren: David Vaughn (Jana), Ryan Vaughn (Marley), Justin McCall (Sabrina), DJ Hill (Ariel) and Briana Armour (Eric), twenty-five great grandchildren and one on the way! Also left to cherish his memory are his large Texas family, one niece in Baltimore, brother in law Tom Ginn of Baltimore, Maryland and brother in law and sister in law Gary and Tanya Mercer who were friends and travel partners and their two sons known as "the boys".

He is preceded in death by his parents Edward and Louise Sowders, his in-laws, Jerry and Mae Santos, older brother and sister in law, Gerald and Shirley Sowders, brother Bobby Sowders, three precious nephews, a son in-law and his beloved, youngest grandson, Hunter McCall.

Though we wanted him to have a service with the full military honors he deserves, we are respecting his wishes. There will be no service and our families will be at their own homes. So many of you have asked for a way to help us or honor him so we would ask that you make a donation in his memory to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation or donate to the Elbert County Humane Society and Animal Shelter. Reach out to Dawn if you need assistance.

A huge thank you to Family Hospice of Athens and the Comfort Care Unit at Piedmont. They cared for us as much as they cared for Dad. Please continue to think of and pray for our family as we try to navigate life without the most intelligent, kind, generous man that loved us beyond belief.

The Strickland Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Hartwell is assisting the family with all of the arrangements.