Pearl "Lucille" (Gamblin) Bowers

Pearl “Lucille” Bowers, nee Gamblin, 98 years, 10 months and 12 days, passed away Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at the Salem Care Center. She was born November 11, 1921 in Dent County, Missouri to Edmond Green Gamblin and Myrtle Ann Whitaker Gamblin. Lucille grew up on a farm with loving parents who knew the Lord and where prayer, reading the Bible and going to church were important to the family of ten. She and her family attended New Home Baptist Church and she was saved at a young age. On May 27, 1944 in Salem, Arkansas, she was united in marriage to Minyard “Min” Ross Bowers and to this union three children were born. She and her husband, Min, raised their family in Howes Mill where Lucille stayed home and took care of the children along with farm work. As a mother with one daughter just out of college, a son who was in college and a daughter who was only 13, she lost her husband to heart disease. They moved from the farm into Salem where Lucille eventually went to work. She became employed at Wal-Mart a few months after it opened and where she remained until retirement in 1987.

Lucille was a long-time faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Salem where she helped in the children’s classes, attended the FBC women’s group and the BASICS group until her health declined. Lucille had learned so much from her parents and had instilled that love in her children to be obedient and prayerful to the Lord.

Lucille enjoyed keeping busy whether it was making quilts, sewing, gardening, flower gardening, oil painting, cooking, shopping and traveling. Most of all she loved to visit or have visits from all of her family. Besides her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she also kept a close relationship with all of her siblings as long as they lived.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Myrtle Gamblin; her husband, Min Bowers; her parents-in-law, Esco and Delphia Bowers; a son-in-law, Jim Brittain; grandson, Chris Brittain; two brothers, Carl Gamblin and Burton (Betty) Gamblin; four sisters, Alta (Raymond) Lay, Myrna (Bruce) Bergman, Leah (Earl) Tune and Dorris (Russell) Compton; brothers-in-law, Thurman Wisdom and Bill Schescke.

She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her children, Linda Kay Brittain and T.J. (Judy) Bowers of Salem, MO and Elizabeth “Liz” (Bill) Bennett of Steelville, MO; six grandchildren, Justin (Angie) Bowers of Salem, MO, Shara (Joe) Roberts of Dallas, TX, Lisa (Terry) Johnson of Kansas City, MO, Ross (Nicole) Bennett of Albion, NE, Brandon (Ashlee) Bennett of Columbia, MO and Lane (Kate) Bennett of Hinesville, GA; sixteen great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Ashton and Josie Bowers, Micah, Ella, Cooper and Jemma Roberts, Ava and Lily Johnson, Gavin, Claire and Olivia Bennett, Caroline and Abigail Bennett, Bauer and Lucy-Mae Bennett; sister, Delores Wisdom Schescke of Salem, MO; sister-in-law, Linda Gamblin of Auburn, CA; many nieces, nephews, cousins; and friends.

The Family received friends from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Monday, September 28, 2020 at the First Baptist Church of Salem, MO.

Funeral services were held at 12:00 Noon on Monday, September 28, 2020 at the First Baptist Church with the Rev. Jerry Beers officiating. Memories were shared by her son-in-law, Bill Bennett. Special music of "Angel Band" and "In the Sweet by and by" was sung by Verna and Gary Cooper accompanied by Ann Emory on piano. Other music of "Amazing Grace" was played.

Please observe social distancing of six feet when attending the visitation and/or funeral. You may consider wearing a mask at that time. We thank you for your patience, respect and understanding for the Family and yourselves.

Committal prayer and interment were in the Cedar Grove Cemetery, Salem, MO.

Honored to be casket bearers were Brandon Bennett, Lane Bennett, Justin Bowers, Lisa Johnson, Alyssa Bowers and Ashton Bowers with Honorary, Shara Roberts and Ross Bennett.

Memorials may be given in lieu of flowers to the First Baptist Church of Salem, BASICS Group, P.O. Box 230, Salem, MO 65560

The Bowers Family was served by the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home.

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