William Irwin "Bill" Bowen, Sr. of Tifton died Monday, September 5, 2011, at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, 2011, in the Sanctuary of Tifton's First Baptist Church. Dr. Wayne Roe, Dr. W. Ches Smith III and Dr. John B. Polhill will officiate with burial to follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Robert Hill, David Hill, P. D. Fulwood, Bowen Thornton, Daniel Harper, Billy Thornton will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the deacons of First Baptist Church and members of the Tifton Rotary Club. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, September 7, 2011, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mr. Bowen was born on July 29, 1930 in Tift County and was the son of Enoch P. Bowen, Jr. and Iliene Adams Bowen, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by two brothers. He graduated from Tifton High School in 1947 and then attended Gordon Military College. He received an A.B. degree in Economics from the University of Georgia, where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict, rising to the rank of Captain.
Upon the death of his father in 1957, Bill became owner and operator of E.P. Bowen Farms and a partner in Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals, Tifton’s oldest business, established in 1888 by his grandfather, Enoch Bowen, Sr. Bill was a member of Tifton’s First Baptist Church, where he was a lifetime deacon and past Sunday School Director. He was past-president and fund drive chairman of the United Way; member and past-president of the Tifton Rotary Club; and board member and past-president of the ABAC Foundation. He was past-chair of the Tiftarea Academy Board; former board member of Chehaw Council B.S.A. and a member of Springhill Country Club and the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce. He served as secretary of the Tiftarea Concert Association; and was past-director of the Bank of Tifton, now Bank of America. He served as trustee on the board of Old Norman College and as advisor/trustee of the Southeastern Baptist Seminary. He was emeritus trustee of Haggia Institute and served on the Tift County Zoning Board of Appeals.
Mr. Bowen is survived by his wife, Celeste Fulwood Bowen of Tifton; one son and daughter-in-law, William and Kelly Bowen of Tifton; one daughter and son-in-law, Marlene and Vann Thornton of Tifton; five grandchildren, Melissa Harper, Bowen Thornton, Sara Katherine Bowen, Megan Bowen and Anna Bowen; and two great-grandchildren, Kyler Harper and Cody Harper.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to Forward in Faith Building Campaign of Tifton’s First Baptist Church, 404 Love Avenue, Tifton, GA 31794.