Benita J. Bowman

Benita June Bowman, 93, formerly of Brownstown, passed away on Thursday, April 5 at Maple Park Village in Westfield, She was born August 9, 1924 of parents Jay Lewey Smith and Elsie (Rineheart) Smith, both deceased, of Brownstown, IN.

Mrs. Bowman was a member of First Baptist Church of Seymour and had also been an active member of the Brownstown Baptist Church.

After graduating from Brownstown High School, she married Ervin R. Bowman on June 6, 1942. Erv passed away on July 15, 1999. Benita’s sisters, Thelma Smith and Phyllis Wineinger, also preceded her in death.

Survivors include her son Larry Dale (Phyllis) Bowman, Carmel, and a daughter, Marla Dawn (Ken) Stout of Dover, NH; four grandchildren, Tracy (Kevin) Bunch, Carmel, IN; Bryan (Julie) Bowman, Fishers, IN; David (Kristen) Stout, Tampa, FL; Christopher (Sarah) Stout, Keene, NH; nine great-grandchildren, Adelyn, Gavin and Alaina Bowman, Megan, Dalton, and Carson Bunch, and Katelyn, Elizabeth and Nathan Stout.

Benita made family and children the focus for her support. She was a Sunday school and VBS teacher and advised the youth group at church. Benita also was den mother for a Cub Scout troop and leader for a Brownie Scout troop in Brownstown. She found time for these activities while also working outside the home for the hospital, Hamer’s Variety Store, Kroger, Dr. Connor, Sears, and H.R. Block—and she was quite a talented and busy seamstress/tailor. Her concern for family and the people of her community led her to become a leader in the Jackson County Genealogical Society—serving twice as president. She delighted in helping people trace their family and was thrilled to make a visit to Ellis Island to find evidence of her own family roots.

Woodlawn Family Funeral Centre in Seymour will be handling arrangements. Visitation will be on Saturday, April 21, 2018 from 10:30am to 12:00pm at the funeral home. Services will be at noon with interment following at the Fairview cemetery in Brownstown.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to First Baptist Church of Seymour or to the Jackson County Genealogical/Historical Society.