City Loses Long Time Champion of Peachtree Corners

Submitted by Judy Putnam, Peachtree Corners

Jim Cowart, who developed many of the subdivisions in the city and whose generous donations of land allowed the YMCA to expand to Peachtree Corners, has passed away.

Cowart, an Atlanta native, died at his home on Friday, Aug. 15. He was 82. Cowart was a renowned real estate developer with a career that spanned over 50 years; he spent most of his years developing in North Fulton and Gwinnett County.

“Jim Cowart’s imprint is all over Peachtree Corners,” said Gay Shook, a long-time resident and former editor and writer of The Weekly.

“The area was well established before Jim got here, but he brought the executive housing part to Peachtree Corners,” said Shook. “The Jim Cowart neighborhoods in Peachtree Corners are Chattahoochee Station, Spalding Corners, Peachtree Station, Revington, Linfield, and Amberfield. He laid more sewer pipes than Gwinnett County did during this time.”

Cowart donated the land where the Robert D. Fowler YMCA now sits and also the property for Peachtree Corners Baptist Church, including the land for the parking lot and athletic field across the street.

“Jim was a big supporter of the Metro Atlanta YMCA, supporting that organization with hefty financial contributions, including, of course, our own Fowler Family YMCA and the Cowart Family YMCA on Ashford-Dunwoody Road,” said Shook. “Jim believed churches and YMCA’s helped to make families stronger, which, in turn, made communities stronger.”

Cowart leaves behind his wife Linda, three sons, a daughter, stepdaughter and 20 grandchildren, five sisters and a brother and many cousins and friends.

Visitation will be Monday Aug. 18 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Roswell Funeral Home in Roswell and on Tuesday, Aug. 19, a celebration of life will be held at noon at Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church in Johns Creek.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donation may be made to Mt. Pisgah Christian School, the Peachtree Christian Hospice in Duluth or the Eagle Ranch in Chestnut Mountain.

(Note: Details gleaned from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Sunday, Aug 17, 2014 edition.)