Mildred “Ruby” Bowers passed away quietly on Sunday, January 3, 2016, at the age of 93. Ruby was the daughter of William McKinley and Laura Elizabeth Nave of Carter County and was a direct descendant of Teter Nave, a 1778 settler of Carter County.
On the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Ruby married Floyd H. Bowers. He preceded her in death after 63 years of marriage. They were devoted to each other and she looks forward to seeing him again after crossing over Jordan.
During her years as the wife of an Air Force officer, she was a volunteer with Family Services, assisting families of soldiers in need. Always willing to assist others, she continued her post-military community service becoming active in her church, First Baptist of Elizabethton, along with various veteran’s and community service organizations including Disabled American Veterans, Eastern Star, American Red Cross and American Legion.
Ruby loved a good joke and could take as well as she gave. No doubt that she this very minute is sitting with St. Peter swapping jokes and telling tales. Her sense of humor never failed her and no one who met Ruby could walk away without a smile.
Ruby was preceded in death by her brothers, Earl and Luther Nave, sister, Edith, and son, Michael Robert Bowers.
She is survived by her sister, Ella Ruth Perry; sons, Edward and Ernest Bowers, along with numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Included in these are Michael Bowers, Ruth Csanady, Cody Anderson, Melvin Nave, Peggy Shell, Thomas Perry, Kim Miller, Karen Perry, Diane Deal and Doris Carrier.
The service to honor the life of Mrs. Mildred “Ruby” Bowers will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 5, in the Riverside Chapel of Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, with Mr. Edward Bowers, her son, eulogist, and Mr. Michael T. Bowers, her grandson, who will also deliver a eulogy. The family will receive friends in the funeral home chapel from 1 until 2 p.m. Tuesday, prior to the service. A graveside service will follow at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be Greg Csanady, Ed Csanady, Thomas Miller, Isaac Miller and Mike Miller. Honorary pallbearers will be Thomas Perry, Melvin Nave, Phillip Minor and Dustin Jones. The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Hermitage Health Center for the loving care they provided. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Disabled Veterans Association, 1601 Scenic Drive, Elizabethton, TN 37643. Online condolences may be shared with the family at our website, www.tetrickfuneralhome.com.
Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, is serving the family. Office: (423) 542-2232. Obituary Line: (423) 543-4917.