George Ralph Bowen

Funeral services will be held for George Ralph Bowen who died Tuesday, August 18, at age 97, at Tennova Hospital West Turkey Creek, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

George was born February 26, 1918, in Oakway, South Carolina.  He graduated from Franklin High School and Habersham College, now called North Georgia Trade and Vocational School.  He went to Citizens Training Military camp and won an award for marksmanship.  He was a veteran of World War II in the United States Coast Guard in 1945, title corswain.  He later worked at Chicopee Manufacturing Co., Riegel, and Ames Textile Corporation.

 His parents, who preceded him in death, were Charles Durant Bowen and Florence Carnes Bowen, who owned a dairy farm.  His beloved wife, also deceased in June, 1994, was Mary Isabel Dooly Bowen.  He was the last of nine brothers and sisters:  Hugh, Joe, Doug, Charles, Julian, Gwen, Eleanor and a 2 year old baby, Gary.  He also had a deceased nephew, Jim Dooly.  His survivor is one daughter, Judy Diane Bowen, of Knoxville, Tennessee, who worked for 13 years on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ and taught school in Knoxville, TN, for 25 years.  Other relatives include two nephews, Johnny Dooly and Jack Dooly; niece, Lisa Parrish; many other nieces and nephews. 

George was a Christian who received Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.  He enjoyed reading his Bible daily and watching Braves baseball.  He was a member of Clarkesville Baptist Church, in Clarkesville, Georgia.  He later attended West Park Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he lived fifteen years with his daughter Judy.

Visitation for George’s funeral will be Friday, 1:00 p.m., August 21, at Whitfield Funeral Home North Chapel on Historic 441, in Demorest, Georgia, followed by the funeral at 2:00 p.m., and interment at Clarkesville Cemetery, in Clarkesville, Georgia, at 3:00 p.m., with full military honors, provided by Habersham County American Legion Post # 84, Grant Reeves Veterans for Foreign Wars Post # 7720.

Donations in memory of George Bowen can be made to Campus Crusade for Christ, 100 Lake Hart Drive, Orlando, Florida, 32832, telephone (407) 826-2000 for distribution of Bibles ;  Clarkesville Baptist Church, 1287 Washington St., Clarkesville, Georgia, 30523; West Park Baptist Church, 8833 Middlebrook  Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37923 or to the Wall of Honor for Veterans, P.O. Box 298, Demorest, Ga.  30535.

Arrangements are in care of Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel, Demorest, Georgia.  706-778-1700

Those wishing to express online condolences to the Bowen family may do so by visiting our website at www.whitfieldfuneralhomes.com