Carole Jean Bowden, age 77, passed away on Thursday, April 20, 2023 in Corpus Christi, Texas. She was born August 7, 1945 in Kerrville, Texas to Dow Calvin Tipps and Helen Mae Baker.
She graduated from William Adams High School in 1963 where she was a cheerleader and Football Sweetheart then went on the receive her associate degree in business shortly after.
On February 7, 1970, she married the love of her life, Cecil Lamar Bowden and went on to have Curt, baby Jason (who went to be with Jesus 11 days after his birth,) and Carrie. She and Lamar were married for 47 years.
She worked as Lucien Flournoy’s personal secretary for many years then in the banking industry before joining the Bowden Ford Family where she worked until 2021. She was a devoted member of The Grove Baptist Church in Orange Grove, Texas.
Carole, aka “Nee Nee” to most of those who knew her, lived her life with a passion for love and family. She was very grounded in her Faith and truly lived her life for the Lord. She was an incredible example of kindness, honesty, and strength. Carole’s love transformed the lives of everyone she encountered. She brought a bounty of beauty to everything she did…with her compassion, her smile, and unbounded love. She had a remarkable ability to connect with people – to her, there was no such thing as a stranger, and she had the unique ability to share herself and evoke that same spirit of friendship in each person she met.
She was “like a mom” to countless friends of her children and grandchildren and to many of her nieces and nephews. She lived to serve others and in doing that lived a very fulfilling and beautiful life. Any person who met Carole in all her 77 years can account for being positively impacted by her kindness. While she will be greatly missed on this Earth, her family and friends are comforted in knowing that she is now walking with Jesus, hand-in-hand with Lamar.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 47 years, Lamar Bowden; brothers, Jimmy Tipps and Kenny Tipps and infant son, Jason Lamar Bowden.
Carole is survived by her children, Curt (Misty) Bowden of Calallen, Tx and Carrie Bowden (Justin Rokohl) of Orange Grove, Tx; grandchildren, Austin (Kaitlyn) Bowden of Calallen, Tx, Brooklyn (Trevor Holland) Bowden of Girardeau, Missouri, Jason Bowden of College Station, Tx, Radley del Alamo and Landon del Alamo of Orange Grove, Tx; two great grandchildren, Lacey Bowden and Colson Bowden of Calallen, Tx; sister, Judy Costley of Alice, Tx; brother, Steven (Laurie) Tipps of Padre Island, Tx and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Monday, April 24, 2023 at Holmgreen Mortuary with Family receiving Friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at Holmgreen Mortuary. A Funeral Service will be held at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at The Grove Baptist Church in Orange Grove, Tx. Private Family burial will be held at Roselawn Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be offered to The Grove First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 565, Orange Grove, TX 78372-0565, or to South Texas Children’s Home, P.O. Box 1210, Beeville, Texas 78104-1210.
Arrangements are entrusted to Holmgreen Mortuary, 2061 East Main Street, Alice, Texas.
Condolences for the family may be offered at www.HolmgreenMortuaryInc.com and shared via Holmgreen Mortuary Facebook.
