Marjorie Lou Bowling

Marge was born in Chicago, Illinois, the second child, of Lillian (Luther) and Fredrick L. Goldsby. She was an exceptionally bright and happy girl with a great love for friends, the outdoors and animals. She especially enjoyed the pets her parents allowed her, including cats and dogs as well as a rabbit, parakeet and horse.

Her family moved to Westfield New Jersey when she was an young teenager where she graduated from Westfield Senior High School. She and her fun loving group of friends from her graduating class have maintained close ties to this day. She attended college in Florida for a time, then transferred to the University of Colorado at Boulder where she fell in love with the mountains and became an avid skier. When she returned later to Westfield, she married Jules Albert Gilbert, nicknamed Gil, a young Air Force officer and fighter pilot, on April 19, 1956. Their adventures in the military took them to Georgia, Rome New York, and Anchorage, Alaska. Gil’s final assignment was at Richard Gebaur Air Force Base near Kansas City, Missouri where he died on May 13 1963 when his fighter jet crashed during an alert scramble. As a young widow with four small children, Marge returned home to Westfield to be close to family for support. In time Marge returned to Colorado, settling in Black Forest, Colorado in January of 1966, and Marge’s love of animals soon developed into more than a hobby, eventually becoming two successful breeding and boarding operations for purebred Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernard and Great Dane dogs through Black Forest Kennels, and Arabian horses through Laurel Arabians. It was in connection to her animal businesses that she met and fell in love with Eugene J. Bowling, a successful career Air Force Chief Master Sergeant and businessman. They were married on December 20, 1974. Marge and Gene enjoyed working with the animals on their ranch, traveling to horse shows, going camping, and spending time with family. In the 1990s they retired from the horse business and turned their time solely to caring for and doting on family. The family recently celebrated 47 years of their beautiful marriage. Marge is survived by her loving husband, Gene, daughter Janet L. Gilbert Schalk, sons Charles R. Gilbert (Anita), David W. Gilbert (Mary), Jack A. Gilbert (Bernadette), stepson Steven J. Bowling, and sister in law Elizabeth Goldsby, four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents Fred and Lily Goldsby, her brother Arthur F. Goldsby, son in law, Hans Schalk, and daughter in law, Dawn Bowling. Marge was an extraordinary woman with great talents and was an influence for good in many people’s lives. She is deeply loved and sorely missed.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MtViewMortuary.com for the Bowling family.