Jimmie Leon Bowes

Jimmie Leon Bowes, 77, of Roxboro passed away at his home Sunday morning, September 7 under the loving care of his family and home hospice care. Born in Person County on January 19, 1948, he was the eldest of 4 children born to Milo King Bowes and Nannie Lou Duncan and was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a member of the last graduating class of Bethel Hill High School in 1966. Jimmie married Margaret Louise Humphries in 1968 and had 3 children, Samantha Kay Bowes, who passed soon after birth in 1969 and Mark Leon Bowes and Chad Everette Bowes.
Jimmie married Monique Louise Floyd in 1993 and Monique's son from her first marriage, Christopher Godley, joined their home. Monique and Jimmie shared a tight bond and Monique was stellar in her care of Jimmie in the last years of his life, particularly as he battled cancer and COVID.
Jimmie was a unique spirit whose stubbornness was legendary. Mom wore out many a switch trying to guide him in his early years. He grew up with 3 of his uncles, Coy, FT and Wayne, who were close in age to him. He related many times that their influence cultivated his knowledge of vehicles and a need for speed. Jimmie owned five 1955 Chevrolets in his early years and delighted in making them competitive. Later he had a keen interest in motorcycles and developed several ideas for power, resulting in 2 drag racing world records at Bristol, Tennessee. The loss of his right leg in a motorcycle accident in 1978 never seemed to slow him and was never used as an excuse. He continued to play competitive sports and hunted both locally and around the world pursuing his passion for wildlife. His engineering mind and his insight assisted doctors in developing better prosthetic legs for amputees. Jimmie served his country honorably as a US Army soldier during the Vietnam War and stated that the military taught him how to be a man. Upon his release from the military, he worked many years for RPC in Roxboro and traveled the world assembling and servicing TAMI lift boat cranes. Once he lived in the royal palace of King Hussein of Jordan while working on the royal yachts! When Jimmie left RPC in the early 1980's, he started a new venture as a grading contractor and worked the remainder of his life on construction projects for his own company, Person Earth Movers Inc. His general and specific knowledge of engineering was phenomenal as he just seemed to know how things worked.
Survivors include his wife, Monique, sons Mark (Allison), Chad (Sharon), step-son Christopher (Allyson) and siblings, Carolyn Marie Henderson (John), Tony Dale Bowes (Carol) and Milo Neal Bowes (Janet). He had five grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild and 15 nieces and nephews and many hunting buddies and business associates all around the world.
Funeral services will be conducted 11AM Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at the Brooks & White Chapel with the Elder Tony and the Elder Neal Bowes officiating. Family will be receiving friends after the service. A private burial will follow at a later time.
Pallbearers will be close family members and friends.
Condolences may be sent to www.brooksandwhite.com.