Elizabeth Mitchell Bowring

Betty Mitchell Bowring passed away peacefully on April 1, 2017 at the age of 89. Betty was born on June 12, 1927 in Augusta, Georgia. She was the only child of Walton Brewer Nance and Ralph Clinkscales Nance. Betty graduated from George Washington University in 1948 and moved to Atlanta where she met her husband of thirty-five years, I.S. Mitchell, III. She began her career with J.P. Allen, fashioning the storefront windows fronting Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta. She continued in the fashion business, ultimately having a successful career with Doncaster and retiring as a Regional Sales Manager in 1988.

A truly gracious Southern lady, Betty loved to cook and entertain and was known for her annual Christmas parties. Betty loved spending time with family and friends on beautiful Lake Rabun and later in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard. She was an avid and accomplished gardener and her favorite pastime was tending her beautiful gardens. As a native Augustan, she never missed the Masters Golf Tournament and on crisp fall Saturdays loved nothing better than packing a picnic and heading to Athens with the family to enjoy a Georgia Bulldog football game.

Betty was past President of the Atlanta Speech School Guild and the Mimosa Garden Club. For many years, she served as a member of the St. Anne’s Episcopal Church Altar Guild. She was an active member of the Lake Rabun Association, the Colonial Dames in Georgia, the Historic Oakland Foundation and the Piedmont Driving Club.

Betty was preceded in death by two adoring husbands, I.S. Mitchell III and Douglas Bonner (Tom) Bowring. Betty is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Lisa (Ron) Hinson and Sanford (Philip) Dunklin and three grandchildren, Liz Hinson, I.S. Dunklin and Chandler Dunklin.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church on Thursday, April 6, 2017 at 11:00 A.M.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Betty’s memory to the NGCF - Lake Rabun Foundation, P.O. Box 114, Lakemont, GA 30552 or the Historic Oakland Foundation, 248 Oakland Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30312.