A former resident and
first lady of Macon, Georgia, passed away on Wednesday November
5, 2003 at her home in Fairfax, VA with her family by her side.
Born in Montezuma, Georgia,
she was an educator in Bibb County schools for 30 years and was
the widow of former Mayor Charles Loyren Bowden. In 1945 she christened
the Navy Cruiser U.S.S. Macon (CA-132) in Philadelphia, PA. She
was a long-standing member of the Vineville Baptist Church in Macon.
She is survived by two
daughters, Charlotte Bowden Kerr of Fairfax, Va and Patricia Bowden
of Staunton, VA, a sister Margaret Hadley of Toowoomba, Australia,
three grandsons, Wilburn Rivenbark of Memphis, TN, Charles Rivenbark
of Tampa, FL, and Thomas Rivenbark of Woodbridge, VA and six great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will
be held at the Vineville Baptist Church, 2591 Vineville Avenue,
Macon, Georgia on November 14 at 1:00 PM.
In addition to christening
the Macon in 1945, she attended the 50th anniversary of the Macon
commissioning in Philadelphia in 1995. During that reunion, many
of us had the good fortune to meet with her and share with her the
mutual pride in being involved with our ship. Mrs. Bowden, considered
by many as the godmother and matriarch of the Macon. She will be
remembered and honored at our future memorial services held at our
future reunions.
Mrs. Bowden has maintained
contact with other Officers of the Association and has always been
supportive of our efforts. The Association Officers send along our
sincere condolences to the family for their loss.
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