Charlotte Bowie

Charlotte Jean Johnson Bowie, 94, of Tyler, beloved mother of Nancy Bowie Wrenn of Tyler,Barbara Bowie-Whitman of Alexandria, VA, and Katherine Bowie Dooley of Azle, died in Tyler on Jan. 4, 2012 at Hospice of East Texas. Mrs. Bowie was the widow of Robert Gerald Bowie, and the grandmother of Kristina Elizabeth Wrenn of Dallas and Courtney Bowie Wrenn of Brooklyn, NY. Mrs. Bowie was the mother-in- law of Dr. Christopher J. Wrenn of Tyler, Lt. Col. John W. Whitman of Alexandria, and Homer (Buddy) Dooley of Azle, and daughters Sara Dooley Coleman of Frisco and Carrie Dooley James of Aubrey. In addition to her immediate family, Mrs. Bowie is survived by two nieces, Carolyn Higginbotham Schley and Linda Grissom Burrell, a nephew, Rufus Taylor Higginbotham Jr.,cousins, Ann Smith Lowman, Susan Ellsworth Gardner, MarciaLockett Walton, and Wanda Hollon Cook,as well as several great nieces and nephews. Charlotte was born in El Paso on May 25, 1917 to Pascal Eugene Johnson and Ruby Ione Smith Johnson. Although her mother’s only child, she grew up with two older sisters, the late Sybil Johnson Higginbotham of Dallas, and the late Effie Johnson Grissom of El Paso. She was thegrand-daughter of Judge and Mrs. John Tyson Smith of Longview, and of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel T. Johnson of Cookville. She was graduated from Baylor University in 1938 with a B.A. in English Literature and Spanish, and a minor in Education. She lived in Rochester, New York for seven decades, settling there with her husband in September 1938, shortly after their marriage. From 1941-1946 she lived in Dayton Ohio, where her husband was stationed with the Army Air Corps at Wright Patterson AFB. Committed to her faith and dedicated to life-long learning, she served as deacon and trustee as a member of Immanuel Baptist Church and later joined the First Baptist Church. She was affiliated with the RochesterMineralogical and Lapidary Societies, Rochester Museum and Science Center, Rochester Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester Historical Society, YWCA of Rochester, George Eastman House Museum, and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.She served on the New York State PTA Board, the Mayor of Rochester’s Advisory Committee, and as President of the Rochester Guild for Crippled Children. She was a long time member of Chapter AC of PEO in Rochester, the Association of American University Women, the Glen Manor Garden Club,the Crosstown Book Club, Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club, and a 50 year member of the Century Club of Rochester. She delighted in teaching Preschool and Primary Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, was both a Brownie and Girl Scout leader and sewing badge instructor, and a perennial room mother and PTA officer. Mrs. Bowie created beautiful decorative items for Christmas and other holidays, and gave workshops teaching others how to follow her designs. She and her husband were avidmineralogists and gemologists. She was a lover of music, art and literature, an ardent gardener and a stickler for proper grammar. Later in life she became anantique appraiser and charity antique show organizer, travelled extensively, and gave public presentations on her world travels. For several years she was national President of the Free Wheelers section of the Wally Byam Caravan Club of owners of Airstream trailers. She led Airstream Caravans to Alaska and Baja California and travelled coast to coast and throughout Canada by Airstream.After wintering in Tyler with her daughter for many years, Mrs. Bowie came to Tyler to live in 2009, and resided at Cascades Lake Towers. The family is grateful for Mrs. Bowie’s devoted at home care team, ETMC EMS, Dr. Gary Gross, Dr. Luis Destarac, Dr. Robert Dobrowolski, Dr. Dennis Spence, and Dr. Paul Lim. Her husband Robert Gerald Bowie preceded her in death in 1981. She will be buried with him at Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso. A memorial will be heldSunday afternoon, Jan. 8, 2012 at 2 pm in the sanctuary at First Baptist Church Tyler Downtown with the Rev. Dr. Stuart Baskin officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the East Texas Symphony Orchestra for student and family programming, 107 E. Erwin, Tyler, 75702 or the Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd, Tyler, 75701.

Charlotte Bowie

May 25, 1917 - January 4, 2012