James R. Sowney Jr.

Mr. James R. Sowney, Jr., age 72 of Franklin, Kentucky, died Tuesday morning, January 5, 2021 at the Medical Center in Bowling Green.  Cremation was chosen. A memorial service will be held at a later date at the Gloucester County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Williamstown, NJ. A native of Turnersville, New Jersey, he was the son of the late James Ralph Sowney and Dorothy Klett Sowney. He graduated from Washington Township High School in Turnersville in 1966. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968 and served one year in Vietnam. He moved to Franklin, KY in 1979 to work at Brown Printing Co. Jim was a vested member of Simpson County. He volunteered as little league coach and commissioner and served as a member of the American Legion and was an original member of the Simpson County Honor Guard as well as serving as an elder at the Franklin Presbyterian Church. Jim also loved to play golf and volunteer at Kenny Perry’s Country Creek Golf Course. He always said that it was the “best paying job he ever had”. He is survived by his wife of 50 years – Deborah Righter Sowney. They had 2 sons – Kyle Sowney of Mount Juliet, TN and wife Amy Goosetree Sowney and Todd Sowney of Kingston Springs, TN and wife Tina Crabtree Sowney along with his grandchildren – Caitlin, Jessica, Victor and Frances. Also surviving are his 2 sisters – Carol (Bill) Datz, Karen (Jay) Capanna and his 2 brothers – Donald (JoAnn) Sowney and Bill (Kathy ) Sowney; mother in law – Virginia Righter and sister in law – Judith Righter Bender (Bob) all from New Jersey along with many beloved nieces and nephews. The family has requested that memorial contributions be made to the Franklin Presbyterian Church, 201 N. College Street, Franklin, KY 42134 and/or the Simpson County Honor Guard, c/o Jamie Blewett, POB 1043, Franklin, KY 42135