She was born to the late P.A. and Polly Hibdon on June 6, 1945 in Nashville, Tennessee. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Mickey Bowling. She was a pioneer of Tennessee's adoption search and reform movement. She was a founding member of Tennessee's The Right to Know and founding member of Tennessee's Coalition for Adoption Reform. She was the recipient of the Memphis Women of Achievement Award for Determination in 2001. She also received numerous recognitions from the Tennessee and Federal Legislatures for her work. She showed her compassion for St. Jude and Le Bonheur patients by participating in groups like Audrey's Umbrella and Chemo Angels. She looked forward every week to sending cards and gifts to her angels throughout the week. She was known as "Fairy Jalena".
Jalena is survived by her children, Lee Bowling (Kathy), Amy Carter, Abby McCulley (Ken); grandchildren, Nicholas Carter, Jared Carter, Lucas Badrian; and a great-granddaughter, Prudence "Miss P" Carter.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Jalena's memory.
Family will receive friends from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Friday, January 12 at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Rd, Bartlett, TN. A graveside service will follow at 1:00pm on Saturday, January 13 at Arlington Cemetery, 5837 Chester Street, Arlington, TN.
