Elton Cowart, editor and publish of “Dixie Living” magazine, died Thursday, March 20, at his home in the Tanyard community in Bullock County.
Cowart believe that “everybody likes something for free,” especially if it brings fun and laughter to their lives.
For more than 10 years, Cowart’s homespun writing entertained those who read his magazine
“Elton believed if you can give people reason to laugh and forget about their troubles for a while, then that was worth something,” said Kenny May, a close friend.
May had coffee with Cowart Thursday morning and said he was in good spirits.
“Elton was fussing a bit because they didn’t have the kind of tomato plants he wanted at the co-op,” May said.
“But Donna said he went home and planted the tomatoes he bought and had a real good day getting his garden going.”
May said Cowart found his way to the area from Florida about 12 years ago.
“Elton was a policeman down around Lakeland and he came up this way hunting,” May said. “He got to liking it up here so he and Donna pulled up stakes and moved to Tanyard.”
Cowart bought a store in the Tanyard community and ran it for a while. Then, he accepted the editor’s position at the Union Springs Herald.
“At the Herald, Elton wrote a column called, ‘A View from Tanyard’ and everybody got a kick out of it,” May said.
“Elton had this knack. He could write about anything and make it interesting. His column was the first thing I looked for when I got the newspaper. A lot of people were the same way.”
Cowart penned a book titled “I Don’t Look Good Naked Anymore” and it generated a lot of interest.
“People just liked to read what Elton wrote,” May said.
“He had the gift … Whether people knew him personally or through his writing, he brought a lot of laughter into their lives. We’ll all miss the laughter.”
May said Cowart had told him when he died, he wanted people to come together at Tanyard and celebrate his life.
“He didn’t want anything sad,” May said. “Elton loved to laugh and that’s the way I’ll remember him, laughing and loving life.”