Warminster ShopRite Owner Passes Away

WARMINSTER, PA — Joseph J. Cowhey, 63, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 5. Cowhey was known in the Bucks County community as the owner of the Warminster ShopRite, a position he used for charitable causes and community-centered events.

A lifelong resident of southeast Pennsylvania, Cowhey was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he graduated from Lower Moreland High School and DeSales University.

With his family, Cowhey became a staple of the Warminster community as the owner and operator of the local ShopRite, which they have operated for 12 years.

"The Warminster store truly became a family business as the Cowheys worked in the store and within the Warminster community to support many charitable efforts and worthy endeavors," another obituary for Cowhey said.

One endeavor Cowhey took part in was his store's partnership with William Tennent High School, where his Store Team created an innovative "ShopRite Career Lab" for young people that offered training for jobs in retail and grocery.

In 2013, Cowhey teamed up with Doylestown Hospital to pilot a community outreach program affiliated with the hospital. The program was located within the ShopRite of Warminster, where people could access free medical resources and referrals. Although the program only lasted a few years, it started a lifetime relationship between Cowhey and the hospital.

The Cowhey family participated in multiple programs to help the Warminster and general Bucks County area. Some of the other charitable acts Cowhey did for his community were having his store become a sponsor for the annual Warminster Day Fair, hosting a fundraiser to install a sunshade at a local children's playground, raising funds to purchase a police car and police dogs for the Warminster Township Police Department, and supporting the local Fire Department, food pantries and families in need.

When he was not at the store or helping with charitable events, Cowhey would take vacations to the Jersey Shore, Florida, and abroad with his family. If he wasn't traveling, he could be found on the deck of his home, cigar in hand, and his family by his side.

Cowhey is survived by his wife Deborah (nee – Seivwright), his daughters Kelsey, Kara, and Grace, his siblings Mary, Thomas, Rose, and their spouses and families. His funeral mass was held at the Nativity of Our Lord Church in Warminster; he was buried at the Historic Doylestown Cemetery on Monday, April 11.

"Joe was a deeply passionate, caring and generous man, and our store won’t ever feel the same without him," the ShopRite of Warminster said in a statement. "But we will protect his legacy and know that he would be proud. We will miss you Joe."