Barbara Bowman Chandler passed away on April 20, 2019 after a long illness. She was born in Ysleta, Texas on June 28, 1930 to Herbert and Martha Teat. She graduated from Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth, Texas and attended North Texas State University. She married the love of her life, Charles Bowman, on June 4, 1953. After traveling to California with her husband, they settled in Austin, Texas when Chuck got his first teaching job at Lamar Junior High School. Whether she was a Girl Scout leader or home room mother, Barbara dedicated her life to her family.
In 1970, Barbara found her true passion – Golf! She joined a weekly women’s golf group on a whim and learned to love the game as much as a seasoned professional. When Chuck was offered a teaching position with a golf school in Gunnison, Colorado for the summer, Barbara embraced both the golf school and Colorado. She and Chuck made many annual trips to Gunnison with family and friends enjoying everything Colorado and golf had to offer. After Chuck’s death in 2002, Barbara enjoyed traveling with friends and working at JC Penney. One of her greatest accomplishments was traveling with her grandson Tyler to the 2010 British Open in St. Andrews Scotland. A treat for both, it was a trip that she could not believe she actually made and spoke about it often. In 2010, Barbara married James Chandler, a long-time family friend. She was an avid sports fan and tried very hard to pass this obsession along to Jim. Her new favorite golfer became Jordan Spieth, and she watched golf incessantly even turning several nurses and caregivers on to the sport!
Barbara is preceded in death by her mom and dad, husband Charles Bowman, brothers Herbert and Max Teat and sister Doris Hagans. She is survived by her husband James Chandler; daughter Karisa Johnson and husband Jay; son Lindsay Bowman and wife Debbie; and son David Bowman and wife Linda. She is also survived by grandchildren Cooper, Tyler, Dustin and wife Cortney, Easton, Jacqueline, Nicklaus, Charles, William and Kabrina. Her extended family includes Jim, Ana and Gabriela; Tom, Michele, Damon and Devon; John, Sama, Vann and Zachary.
The family would like to thank Valerian Hospice Care and Wesleyan Home Care for all their attention and support for Barbara during her final days. Visitation will be 6-8 pm, Friday April 26th at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N Lamar Blvd. A memorial service will be held at 2 pm Saturday April 27th at Saint John’s United Methodist Church, 2140 Allandale Road. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Wesleyan Home Health Care Benevolent Fund.
