James Barlow Bowman Sr.

BOWMAN GERMANTON - Mr. James Barlow Bowman Sr., 74, died Saturday, April 26, 2008, at Forsyth Medical Center. He was born Dec. 24, 1933, to Broadus and Dovie Nelson Bowman. He served his country in the U.S. Army, was a lead mechanic with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., where he retired, and attended Lawsonville Baptist Church. Barlow was a giver. He grew a big garden and then gave the vegetables away. He was very mechanically inclined, could fix anything, and even devised several labor-saving inventions. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Wendell Bowman. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Iva Jean Slate Bowman; two children, James Barlow Bowman Jr. and Timothy Joel Bowman, both of Germanton; five sisters, Dianne (Joel) Southern of Walnut Cove, Jeannette (Harvey) Neal of Walkertown, Connie (Jessie) Ring of Winston-Salem, Nelda (Bud) Goodman of Rutherford College, and Vicky (Mark) Shore of Walnut Cove; two brothers, Gray (Florence) Bowman and Porter (Betty) Bowman, all of Walnut Cove; four grandchildren, Lindsay, Jessica, Christopher and Elizabeth Bowman; three "adopted" grandchildren, Kristy, Chad and Ashley; a sister-in-law, Nancy Bowman of Walnut Cove; a brother-in-law, Russ (Joan) Slate of Lawsonville; and many special friends and extended family. The funeral service will be conducted at 6 p.m. today, April 28, at Lawsonville Baptist Church, with the Rev. Donald McHone and the Rev. Paul Joyce officiating. The family will receive friends at the church immediately after the service. Burial will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 29, in Rosebud Christian Church Cemetery. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to the Rosebud Christian Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Mr. Jake Oakley, 4388 Dodgetown Road, Walnut Cove, NC 27052. Special thanks to Dr. Grote, the staff of the ninth floor of Forsyth Medical Center and to Danielle, for all your wonderful care and acts of kindness. (Burroughs)