Opal Jones Bowden, 95, of Mt. Vernon died 10:22 p.m. Oct. 5, 2004, at St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon.

She was a homemaker.

Mrs. Bowden was born April 30, 1909, in Grayridge, Mo., to Moses Robert and Mary Lillie (Ellis) Winder.

She first married Walter O. Jones in 1928 in Mt. Vernon; he died in 1969.

She later married Jason F. Bowden in 1976 in Mt. Vernon; he died in 1979.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at Hughey Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon. The Revs. Everett Lemay and Christopher Morgan will officiate. Burial will follow at Mt. Vernon Memorial Gardens. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Hughey Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon.

Mrs. Bowden is survived by a daughter, Norma Fairchild and husband Don of Mt. Vernon; a son-in-law, Howard Gowler and wife Betty of Mt. Vernon; grandchildren Karen Morgan and husband Bill of Mt. Vernon, Kathy Kirkpatrick and husband Rick of Mt. Vernon, Lisa Earls and husband Verner of Mt. Vernon and Dustin Gowler and wife Brenda of Mt. Vernon; great-grandchildren Chris Morgan and wife Shelley of Hesperia, Calif., Todd Morgan and wife Jennifer of Huntsville, Ala., Colin Kirkpatrick of Pittsburgh, Pa., Troy Kirkpatrick of Mt. Vernon, Lauren Zedalis of Mt. Vernon, Derek Gowler of Benton, Dustin Gowler of Mt. Vernon, Amber Oliver of Mt. Vernon, Brandy Benson of Mt. Vernon and Candace Benson of Mt. Vernon; great-great-grandsons Tyler Morgan of Huntsville, Ala., and Carson Morgan of Huntsville, Ala.; a brother-in-law, Loren “Chub” Jones of Edmonds, Wash.; a sister-in-law, Juanita Turner of Mt. Vernon; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; a daughter, Jean Gowler; a brother; and two sisters.

Mrs. Bowden was a member of Logan Street Baptist Church and Happy Homemakers of Home Extension and Sewing Box Club.

For those who wish, memorials may be made to Logan Street Baptist Church Building Fund and will be accepted at the funeral home or may be mailed to Hughey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 721, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Hughey Funeral Home, where you may call 242-3348 for obituary information at any time.

Source: Mt. Vernon Register News
Date: October 9, 2004
Submitted by Kiowana Hayes Ferguson