Lorene Bowness

Alta Lorene Bowness, 91, of Maryville, MO, went to be with her sisters and her Heavenly Father on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in Maryville. She was surrounded by her loved ones as she took her last breath.

Lorene was born on May 14, 1925, to John Christian and Unez Gunter Jensen in rural Gentry County, MO. She was the second of four daughters. She attended grade school at Mt. Pleasant School, a one room school house, in Gentry County. She graduated from Stanberry HIgh School in 1942. She attended NWMSC in Maryville, for one year, where she qualified to teach in rural schools for three years, during World War II. She taught one year at the Floyd Rural School, then two years at Mt. Pleasant, where she had attended as a youth. She taught her younger sister and a first cousin. She spent her summers earning additional credits at NWMSC. After the war she attended college full time graduating in 1947 with a BS degree in Education with a major in Math and a minor in Spanish. She later earned a Master's degree in Guidance and Counseling at NWMSU because at the time Northwest did not offer a Math Master's degree.

She met her future husband in 1946 and was married in May 1947. They were married for 20 years and had three children. Baby Bowness was born on February 11, 1950 and died two days later. Marilyn Cecelia was born the next January, and John Edward II was born in 1956. She and her husband lived in Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska where she always found a job teaching Math and / or Spanish. After her divorce she and her children moved to Maryville, MO where she taught for 22 years, 38 years total, retiring in 1989. Upon her retirement she related that she had taught her sister, her cousin, her daughter and son, her niece and nephew, and her granddaughter, it was time to retire.

After retirement she kept busy with Salvation Army, helping others with their Medicaid benefits, and working on various committees with her church, St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister Ila Inez Klein; sister Irma Maxine Merrick; sister Metta Frances Guess; infant son; brother-in-law Joseph Merrick; brother-in-law Loren Guess; brother-in-law Roger Klein; and neice Lorna Sue Guess. Survivors include; a daughter Marilyn C. Hamm (Mike) of Maryville; and son John E. Bowness II (Karla) of Eaton CO. Grandchildren: Paula Sue Benson (Dave) of Blue Springs, MO; John E. Bowness III (Amy) of Greeley, CO; Sarah Lee Rogers (Travis) of Eaton, CO; and Kimberly Lynn Walker (Garrett) of Centennial, CO. Great Grandchildren: Cale and Kori Benson; Addy and John E. Bowness IV; and Lexi and Taylor Rogers. Also several nieces and nephews.

Funeral service for Lorene Bowness will be held on Thursday, June 9, 2016, at 11:00 AM, at the Bram-Danfelt Funeral Home, Maryville.
The burial will follow in the Miriam Cemetery, Maryville. The minister will be Fr. Sidney Breese.

The family will receive friends for one hour prior to services at the funeral home.

The family ask that in lieu of flowers memorials can be directed to Lorene Bowness Math Scholarship fund or to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, c/o Bram Funeral Home, Maryville.