John Franklin Bowen

SUMMERVILLE – Retired SSG John Franklin Bowen, 83, a retired soldier and security guard, entered into eternal peace and rest on Sunday, February 10, 2013. Mr. Bowen was born September 5, 1929, in Mullins, South Carolina and was the son of the late Willie Johnnie Bowen and Annie O’Jewell Drew Bowen. He grew up in Mullins, South Carolina, reared mostly by his beloved paternal grandparents, John Franklin Bowen and Florence Amanda Perritt Bowen. Mr. Bowen was known by several affectionate nicknames, including Sarge and Pete and Johnnie. Mr. Bowen was a proud veteran. He enlisted in the US Navy on 10-30-1945 and was assigned tours in the Marianna Islands and Marshall Islands aboard the USS JEKYL during World War II. He was honorably discharged from the US Navy in 1948 and he joined the US Army in 1949. Half of his 20 years of military service was in Foreign Service and Sea Service. He served in Korea from Sept 1950 to Sept 1951, in Company G, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division and participated in five major campaigns during that 13 month deployment. He served a second 13 month tour in Korea between 1958 and 1959. He also served overseas assignments in Germany and France during his military service. Mr. Bowen was a devoted member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans and of the Miles Road Baptist Church in Summerville. Surviving are his beloved wife, Carolyn Thomas Bowen; four children, Iris Rose Bowen Winn (Murphy) of Browning Gate Road in Hampton County, Shirley Jean Bowen of Summerville, Carole Anne Bowen Tubbs (Peter) of Hopewell Road in Hampton County, and John Franklin Bowen, Jr. (Melody) of Willow Springs, North Carolina; three brothers, James Austin Bowen (Sam) of Moncks Corner, Jerry LeGrand Bowen of Dayton, Tennessee and Thomas Anthony Bowen (Tommy) of Goose Creek and one sister, Florence Amanda Bowen Parrish of North Charleston; five grandchildren, Faith Elizabeth Winn Hatcher (Phil) of Lugoff, Murphy Barrett Winn, Jr. of Lexington, Stacey Michelle Winn of Tucson, Arizona, Kristin Elizabeth Winn Carter (Swain) of Barnwell, and Jessica Rose Bowen of Willow Springs, North Carolina; two great grandsons, Gabe and Lance, two step great granddaughters, Andrea and Megan, and many loving nieces and nephews. Mr. Bowen was predeceased by his beloved first wife, Jean Helen Edenfield Bowen, who was the mother of his four children. He was also predeceased by sisters Dorothy Levina Bowen Evans (Dot), Bobbie Jean Bowen Hodge, Annie Ruth Bowen, and Shirley Jo Bowen and brothers, Albert Weston Bowen (Buck) and Horace Hartford Drew. Interment with military honors was at the Beaufort National Cemetery on Friday, February 15, 2013, and a memorial service and celebration of Mr. Bowen’s life was at the Miles Road Baptist Church in Summerville on Sunday, February 17, 2013. Memorial contributions may be made to the Miles Road Baptist Church in Summerville or the charity of your choice. Online condolences and memories may be posted at www.palmettocremationsociety.com.