Services for Dorothy “Bubba” Prestwood Bowden, 84, of Panama City Beach, Fla. who died Saturday, March 7, 2009 will be a 2 p.m. March 10, 2009 at Roeton Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim Carpenter officiating and the Honorable Benjamin Max Bowden presenting the eulogy. Burial will be in the church cemetery under the direction of Heritage Funeral Home.
Visitation was March 9, 2009 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, 247 N. Tyndall Parkway in Panama City, Fla. and will be at 1:30 p.m., prior to the service at Roeton Baptist Church.
Bowden had been a resident of Panama City Beach for 35 years, moving from Brundidge. She was born in Coffee County on March 2, 1925. Bowden graduated from Pike County High School in 1942. She received her BS and MA degrees from the University of Alabama. She served as Librarian and taught in several public school systems in Alabama as well as the University of Alabama and retired as Reference Librarian at Gulf Coast Community College in 1995. Bowden had been a member of AEA, NEA, Delta Kappa Gamma and Kappa Delta Pi. She was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and Daughters of the American Revolution. She was also a member of Woodlawn United Methodist Church in Panama City Beach.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 50 years, Earl Max Bowden and by her darling grandson, Christopher Miller.
Survivors include her daughters, Patti Bowden Glassman of Panama City Beach and Jan and Noah Legear of Panama City Beach; four grandchildren, Clayton M. Hughes of Gainesville, Fla., Haley Hughes and Charlie Breitenbach, Beau Glassman and Alex Glassman and a chosen grandson, John Lunsford all of Panama City Beach; one great-granddaughter, her sunshine, Isabella Grace Breitenbach of Panama City Beach; one step-granddaughter, Kimberly Legear and Frank Golden; step great-grandchildren, Jagger Reese and Addison Kathleen Golden of Panama City Beach; brother-in-law, Lawrence and Sara Bowden of Brundidge; sister-in-law, Sue Prestwood of Montgomery and she was the favorite aunt of many, many nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers include Marshall Flowers, Porter Thrower, Bubba DeJarnett, Charles De Jarnett, Danny Prestwood and Allen Essig.
Honorary pallbearers are Craig Campbell, George J. Koplos, William A. Lee, Garret C. Prestwood, William Beavers, Rev. Larry Bowden, Buck Bowden, Richard Hughes, Willard Clewis, Danny Durnbaugh and Gerard Virga. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Covenant Hospice, Roeton Baptist Church or Woodlawn United Methodist Church in memory of Bowden.
Those wishing to offer a word of encouragement may do so at www.heritagefhllc.com.