Texas, on Monday, January 18, 2021, after 98 years on earth. This excellent and esteemed
woman was surrounded by her faithful care attendants and loving family.
A coal miner’s daughter and the first of ten children, Ethel was born on December 17, 1922, in
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to the late Ezra Floyd Pearce and Mary Jane Howard Pearce.
She loved learning and graduated from Cherry Tree High School in 1940, attended secretarial
school as a young woman and took adult education classes in later life. God endowed her
with many talents, nurturing children being at the forefront.
Ethel met the love of her life, John Dickey Bowser, in 1940, and they married in 1943 at
Ardmore Army Air Field in Oklahoma, where John was in navigator training. Their first home
was in Boca Raton, Florida, while he completed active-duty service upon return from England
and where their first daughter was born. Their next move was a return to Pennsylvania, and
three more daughters and a son joined the family. In 1957, Ethel and John uprooted to start the
rest of their lives in Texas. The last daughter and son completed the family in Pasadena, where
John and Ethel lived until retiring to Nacogdoches in 1986. In 1999, Deer Park became their
home until John’s death on February 15, 2011.
Ethel was also preceded in death by brothers Grant Pearce and Tim Pearce; sister Marian
Westover; grandson Shane Lytle; and great-granddaughter Falyn Lytle. Ethel is survived by
three brothers and three sisters; five daughters, Lynda Herrera (Rosenberg); Joanne McRae
and husband Kevin (Rosenberg); Barbara Burkhalter and husband Michael (Grapeland); Nancy
Bishop and husband Ron (La Porte); Rebecca Hicks and husband Kevin (Pasadena); two sons,
John Bowser and wife June (Pasadena); James Bowser and wife Judy (Sugarland); thirteen
grandchildren and twenty-five great-grandchildren.
Ethel was a member of Pasadena’s Parkgate Community Church, where visitation will be held
on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, from 4 PM to 6 PM. This will also be the location of her funeral
service at 10 AM on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, with burial at Forest Park Lawndale to
follow at 1 PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ethel’s name may be directed to
GenerationNext Fund, c/o Parkgate Community Church, 3715 Preston Avenue, Pasadena,
Texas 77505.
For those unable to attend the service, it will be streamed on Facebook Live. Please search
“Parkgate Online” to view the service.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5