Fern Cleo Bowden

Fern Cleo Tollett Bowden, age 101, went to be with the Lord on Friday, August 23, 2013. She was born in the Sardis Community, Hempstead County, Arkansas, to Elmore M. and Sudie Lewis Tollett. She was married to M.L. Bowden on February 13, 1931. They had been married 50 years at the time of his death in 1981. A loving, supportive wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Fern devoted herself to taking care of her family. Fern was a strong, independent lady, providing for herself in her home until the age of 100. She lived her life with dignity, strength, and honor. She was baptized in 1938 and was the longest member of First Baptist Church in Nashville, Arkansas. She was a member of Mine Creek/Paraloma DAR and the Elberta Chapter of the Eastern Star. Fern is survived by her children, Milburn Lewis Bowden, Jerry Tollett Bowden and wife, Wilma, and Jean Ann Flaherty, and husband, Lavon; a brother, Billy Tollett and his wife, Eileen; her grandchildren, Duane Bowden and wife, Tammy, Brent Flaherty and wife, Stephanie, and John Bowden; great-grandchildren, Sadies, Brooke, Brady, Haley, Layla, Anna Kay, and Alex; great-great-grandchildren; Aubrey, and Katharine; and a number of very special nieces and nephews, and a host of friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two sisters, Pearl Hill and Verda Cranford, two brothers, Virgil Tollett and Lewis Tollett and grandson, Mark Lance Bowden. Graveside services will be at 2:00 PM on Sunday, August 27, 2013 at Nashville Cemetery under the direction of Latimer Funeral Home. Mike Reese will be officiating. You may send an online sympathy message to www.latimerfuneralhome.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Fern Cleo Bowden please visit our Sympathy Store.