Jill P. Cowles

Jill Penney Cowles, of Albany, New York, passed away on Monday, August 4, 2025. She was 66 years old.

Born on June 2, 1959, Jill grew up in Delmar, New York and graduated from Bethlehem Central High School. She began her college experience at Syracuse University, where she was a member and treasurer of the Alpha Phi sorority. She later attended SUNY New Paltz and graduated with a dual degree in retail and marketing.

Jill led a successful 18-year career in banking, during which she managed and mentored many employees in neighborhood retail branches across New York's capital region. She was always held in high esteem by her clients and direct reports. She spent her formative professional years at Key Bank and Cohoes Savings Bank, later ascending to be an Assistant Vice President at JP Morgan Chase, and an Assistant Vice President at HSBC. After leaving the financial sector, Jill worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a voucher examiner and supervisor, and eventually found her final and favorite role as a lunchroom and kindergarten aide at the Thomas O'Brien Academy for Science and Technology in Albany. She had a gift for connecting with children and making them feel safe.

Jill's most cherished memories were spent at the beautiful Cowles and Birdsall family home, Braeloch, on the east side of Lake George. Here she spent countless hours hosting friends, going for boat rides, watching sunsets on the porch, and spending quality time with her family and beloved terriers Fergus, Stella, and Duncan.

Jill had a mischievous streak and loved having fun. She was a fashionista and expert shopper, USC football fanatic, avid reader, flower pot gardener, and MSNBC enthusiast. Most notably, she was a lifelong animal lover who doted on countless furry and feathered friends over the course of her life. In her final years at home, she found great joy every morning feeding the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks on her front lawn on Holmes Court.

Jill will be remembered for her generosity, gregariousness, impeccable style, hearty laugh, and feisty spirit. She was a funny, clever and caring person, had unmatched charisma, and was always quick to make friends and leave an impression wherever she went. Jill was also a recovering alcoholic and active AA member who helped others living with addiction, as a sponsor and empathetic sounding board. She was proud to celebrate 17 years of sobriety this year.

Jill is preceded in death by her parents Weston Finch Cowles and Jane Penney Cowles, and her ex-husband Kenneth Eagan. She is survived by her sister Julia Finch Cowles, son Jason Finch Cowles (Vanessa Imbaquingo), daughter Samantha Cowles-Eagan (Wooley Blain), and grandchildren Eliana, Isabelle, and Alexander.

Jill's family requests that donations be made to The Abraham House (www.theabrahamhouse.org) for the gentle care they provided in her final weeks. If you are unable to give financially, Jill would be happy if you fed a squirrel or pet a dog in her memory. She will be forever missed by everyone who loved her.