Atwater, California - Sonny Cowden was born in Roswell, New Mexico on July 24, 1944 to Reese and Eileen Cowden. He passed away June 27, 2021 in Atwater.
Sonny was 76, and expecting to celebrate his 77th birthday next month after recovering from a recent surgery to remove a brain tumor. Sonny had visited with his gifted musician son Ace (of popular California band Kowhoon fame) after his gig on Saturday night, and seemed to have bounced back from the surgery. That he didn't make morning shocked the Cowden family and countless cowboy friends.
Sonny and his five siblings were born in New Mexico, but their family moved to Merced, California when the kids were young. Three of the four Cowden boys of Sonny's generation—Olin (Cody's dad), Dub and Sonny—team roped at the NFR. But Sonny's biggest win came later in life. In 2013 split $188,000 with good friend Brian Costa at the World Series Finale #10.
"I remember playing with Sonny at the rodeos when we were just little old kids," remembers NFR header and forever friend Jim Wheatley. "Sonny, Ken and Phil Luman, Jerold and Leo Camarillo, Ace Berry—we all grew up playing, roping and junior rodeoing together when we were young. One thing about Sonny, he loved to rope his whole life. Sonny Cowden was a really good cowboy and a really good hand with a horse."
He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Donna Cowden, kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. Sonny had a special relationship with two nephews, Cody and Clayton; sisters Novalee and Oleen; brothers Olen, Dub, and Ralph. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
