Jean was born to John and Mildred Maloy in Lyons, Ohio. Her father owned a restaurant, but died when she was 6 years old. Her mother and siblings, Betty and Bobby, moved to her grandparents’ home in rural Michigan, and spent their childhood days gathering eggs and playing in the barn.
She attended secretarial school in Elkhart, Indiana. She met and married Henry Bowen in 1948, while he was attaining his undergraduate and doctoral degrees in agricultural engineering at Michigan State University. After his graduation, Henry joined the faculty of NC State University and they and their son John, moved to Raleigh, NC. Daughter Becky was born a year later.
Jean used her secretarial skills for the Raleigh City Schools, later the Wake County Schools, supporting School Superintendent Dr. Conrad Hooper, including the tumultuous years of integration. She retired in 1988.
Jean enjoyed playing bridge and pinochle, and played in a number of different bridge groups, making lifelong friends along the way. She was a member of the Raleigh Women’s Club, holding a number of leadership positions and working in the gift shop. She was an avid NC State Wolfpack fan, and attended football and basketball games with family and friends.
Jean’s goodness and generosity were her signature traits. She loved her family and friends through good times and bad with intensity and patience, and always believed in the goodness of others. She will forever be known for her macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, peach cobbler, and her beloved condo at Ocean Isle Beach. She was the best of mothers, grandmothers, and friends, and is affectionately known as “Grandma Jean” to all her childrens’ and grandchildrens’ friends across the country.
The day after Jean’s passing, her first great-grandchild was born. Ruby Linh Bowen was born to grandson Scott and his wife Teresa. Linh is the Vietnamese name meaning spirit, and the family thinks that Jean’s good spirit now lives in Ruby Linh, as it does in us all.
Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Henry D. Bowen, and sister Betty Stevens.
She is survived by her brother, Robert Maloy of Temperance MI, her son, John Bowen and wife, Nancy Morgan of Granite Falls, NC; her daughter, Becky Bowen and husband William Dare of Winston-Salem, NC; and five grandchildren, Lindsey Wagner of Irvine, CA, Scott Bowen and wife Teresa of Bothell, WA, Jenna Bowen of Charlotte, NC, Samantha Stockman of New York, NY, and Ava Hohenstein of Minneapolis, MN.
A memorial service will be held at Lenoir Presbyterian Church on Saturday, December 4, at 2 pm. The church is located at 1002 Kirkwood Street NW in Lenoir, NC.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are requested to be made to the NC Agricultural Foundation in support of the Henry D. Bowen Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship in Biological and Agricultural Engineering (the “Bowen Scholarship) or the Henry D. Bowen Endowment (the “Bowen Fellowship”) at Campus Box 7645, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695. Please denote Bowen Scholarship or Bowen Fellowship on the check. Donations may also be made to the Alzheimer’s Association Eastern NC Chapter, 5171 Glenwood Ave Suite 101, Raleigh, NC 27612.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Homestead Hills and Arbor Acres memory care units in Winston-Salem for their love and support of Jean during the last five years.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St. Raleigh, NC.
