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WILMA S. COWAND
Mrs. Cowand was a longtime resident of Bay St. Louis. She came to Mississippi as a young women having been bom and raised in Wyoming. She retired from Hancock Bank in 1981.
She was very active in community affairs, including assisting in the organization and management of the local--Food Pantry, where she held the office of treasurer for seven years, was an active member of the funding committee for the United Way, treasurer for St. Vincent de Paul Society, pollster in all local elections, member of the hospital auxiliary and active in Our Lady of the Gulf Parish and school functions.
Mrs. Cowand is survived by five children, Rosalie, Johne, Malcolm, Norman and Blane; 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation was Monday at Edmond Fahey Funeral Home in Bay St. Louis, followed by celebration of Mass at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church. Burial was in Bayou Coco Cemetery.
Keeping folks fed
■	The Hancock County Food Pantry has come a long way since early 1986, when a group of area church members got together to talk about how to help feed families coping with emergencies such as illness or job loss.
Today, about 60 volunteers from various churches man the pantry behind the County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis.
Since the pantry opened May 12,1986, it has provided food to 8,377 families. Roughly, that’s food for 25,073 people.