Lowell Cozzens

Memorial services are scheduled for 11:00 am, Saturday, June 9th, at Traylor Gym in Capitan for Lowell C. (L. C.) Cozzens, who passed away on June 2, 2012 in Roswell, New Mexico. L. C., age 90, was born November 18, 1921 in Tulia, Texas to Seymour “Primo” Cozzens and Sallie Goode Cozzens. The family moved to the Nogal Mesa area in New Mexico in 1924. He attended public school in Capitan where he was a stellar athlete in all sports. He attended the University of New Mexico on a basketball scholarship where he lettered and was named to the All Border Conference basketball team in 1947. In 1943, while at UNM, Cozzens joined the United States Marine Corps and served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He returned to UNM and graduated in 1947 with a degree in education. He later obtained a Master of Arts Degree, also from UNM. Following graduation L. C. taught social studies and physical education and also coached basketball and football in the Lovington School District for 10 years. He was a coach of the 1951 State Champion football team. Also in 1951 he was recalled to active duty in the Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict. He married Mary Lou Cooper in December 1952 in Lovington, New Mexico. In 1959 the Cozzens family moved to Dora where L. C. was superintendent for six years. During this time he passed his first bond issue and rebuilt the Dora Schools. In 1965 Cozzens was named the Portales Municipal Schools business manager, and in 1968 became the Portales Superintendent serving 17 years before retiring in 1985. While in Portales he passed bonds to renovate every school in the district. Cozzens returned to education in 1987 when he was the interim Superintendent of the Capitan Schools for six months. L. C. was a founding member of the New Mexico Coalition of School Administrators was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2009. He was a member of the Capitan Methodist Church. Most recently L. C. was honored by the naming of the Portales Schools Administrative Office “The L. C. Cozzens Administrative Offices” on May 25th. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Mary Lou (Cooper) Cozzens, daughter of the late Hampton Joseph Cooper and the late Jessie (Foreman) of Silver City, New Mexico. L. C. is also survived by four children, Gary and his wife Shirley Crawford of Capitan; Glenda Sears and her husband Jeff of Flower Mound, Texas; Gail Scott and her husband Dickie of Olney, Texas; and, Grace Moore and her husband Mike of Rio Rancho, New Mexico; two sisters, Cornelia Grannis of Monrovia, California and Marilyn Cozzens of Roswell, New Mexico; and, two brothers, Doyle of Roswell, New Mexico and Ken and his wife Pauline of San Marcos, California; one brother-in-law, Jack Cooper and wife Margaret of Wilton, Connecticut; one sister-in-law, Billie Cooper; seven grandchildren, Kristi Crawford of Roswell, New Mexico, Sydnee Scott of Stephenville, Texas, Lauren Moore of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Jack Sears of Lubbock, Texas, James Sears of Flower Mound, Texas, Shawn Moore of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, and Kodee Scott of Olney, Texas; and, one great grandchild, Ridley Crawford-Rains of Roswell, New Mexico. L. C. was preceded in death by five siblings, Wayne of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Eileen Parsons of Roswell, New Mexico; Franklin of Capitan, New Mexico; a baby brother of Capitan, New Mexico; and, Jane of Roswell, New Mexico. L. C. was also preceded in death by brothers-in-law Walter Grannis, Bob Parsons, Hampton Cooper and George Cooper and sister-in-laws Jean Cozzens and Jo Cooper. Please take a moment to share your thoughts and memories in the online register book at andersonbethany.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson Bethany Funeral Home and Crematory.

Lowell Cozzens

November 18, 1921 - June 2, 2012