Catherine Bowen

Catherine “Kay” Bowen 1923-2013

Sarah Catherine Holley Bowen, 89, passed away February 2, 2013 after failing to recover from a broken hip and shoulder suffered in a fall last November.

Kay was born in Rexburg, Idaho on March 11, 1923, on her grandmother’s birthday, so she received her name. She was the 4th of 8 children born to William Ingram Holley and Lottie Verna Nichols. She had a very happy childhood surrounded by extended family, games, and music. She suffered from several childhood ailments and missed a lot of school time growing up, so ended up graduating from Madison High School with her younger brother Alvin. The family had little money so the children all worked hard to help make ends meet.

Kay went to college for a year at Ricks College and a semester at BYU where she met Don Bowen, the man who later would become her husband when they ran into each other again in New York City several years later. Together they became a team well known in the linguistics field, Dad the professor and researcher and Mom helping to type, edit, and proofread his many publications. They traveled the world together, living in the Philippines, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Egypt, and spending time in dozens of other countries, making lifelong friends everywhere they went. In fact, if Mom could pick one thing that was her legacy, it would be the many dear friends she made all over the world. After Dad passed away prematurely, Mom refused to stay home and feel sorry for herself. She signed up to teach English in China for a semester, and ended up enjoying the experience so much she went back for another year. After retiring and returning to a new home in St. George, she honed her skills in ping pong and won dozens of medals in the local and world Senior Games. She continued to travel extensively and took each one of her grandchildren on an international trip to teach them there are wonderful people all over the world.

She was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, serving a mission to the Northern States Mission from 1943-1945, also serving as Primary president, Relief Society president, teacher, and organist. She wrote a book of her impressions of the Book of Mormon to convey her testimony to her posterity. Along the way, they had 5 children, creating a home where education, religion, and tolerance were nurtured and rewarded.

The family wishes to thank the caring professionals at Care to Stay Home who enabled Mom to return home for her final weeks; also Rocky Mountain Home Health and Kolob Care Center.

Kay was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Dora, Billy, Alvin, Roy, Ira, and Jim, husband Don, and son David. She is survived by her brother Melvin Holley and children Douglas (Debbie), Dale (Janalee), Chris Peterson (Scott), Karen (Beth Gerstein), Peter Thomas, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held Friday, February 8, 2013 at 1:00 pm at the Winchester Hills LDS chapel located at 5388 N Winchester Drive, St George, Utah. There will be a viewing from 11:00-12:45 prior to services.

Graveside service Saturday, February 9, 2013 at the Brigham City Cemetery at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Institute for Continued Learning, www.dixie.edu/com/icl, 658 East 200 South, St. George, UT. 84770.