Highland Cemetery

Durant, Bryan County, Oklahoma

© Holmes Coffey Murray Funeral Service
Submitted by: Terry Dudley

Ruby LaNell Shipman Bowen

October 23, 1931 ~ February 22, 2023

Ruby LaNell (Shipman) Bowen moved to Heaven on February 22, 2023, in Sherman, Texas. She graduated from Blue High School as valedictorian of her senior class in May 1949. She was an avid basketball player in high school. Ruby then attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University and graduated in 1952 with a double major and honors in 3 years. She was a member of Pi Omega Pi as a student and then later as a sponsor after she became a business education professor at SEOSU in 1966. She taught business subjects for 21 years at Southeastern. She loved helping students succeed in business and teaching. She was also a great role model in "Dressing for Success" which she passed on to her students. Ruby received her Master's Degree from SEOSU in 1965 and did graduate studies at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and Oklahoma University in Norman. Ruby was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma-Zeta Chapter, an honorary teacher's organization, since 1978. She served in many capacities of the club and was President in 2002. Ruby was a long-time member of the Durant Creative Arts Guild. She loved painting in oils. That became her retirement hobby after taking private art lessons in Colorado.

Ruby was a member of First Baptist Church of Durant since 1975. She taught Sunday School for 4th & 5th graders as well as 7th graders. She loved working in the nursery as a volunteer and in Vacation Bible School.

Ruby married Collin Bowen on August 5, 1950 in Blue, Oklahoma at the First Baptist Church. They have celebrated 72 years of marriage. They raised three children: Deborah LaNell, Susan Carol and Brent David; whom she loved dearly. Ruby was born on October 23, 1931, in Albany, Oklahoma to Benjamin Franklin Shipman and Myrtie Purkey Shipman. She was preceded in death by her parents, 4 brothers, 3 sisters, and 2 of her precious great-grandchildren Kennaa Wege and Chad Beal. She is survived by: her loving husband Collin, her daughters Debbie Bowen of Duluth, MN; Susan & Randal Cook of Bennington, OK; her son Brent Bowen of Arlington, TX; her grandchildren: Matt & Tonia Beal of Sturgeon Lake, MN; Jennifer & Abdi Wege of Milwaukee, WI; Courtney & Jason Shaw of Duluth, MN; Jonathan Beal of Duluth, MN; Sarah & Evan Rowland of Durant, OK; Carol & Derek Hines of Durant, OK; Joshua, Zachary & Elinor Bowen of Omaha, NE; Collin J. Bowen of Arlington, TX and 14 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services are under the care of Holmes-Coffey-Murray. A memorial service for Ruby Bowen will be held on Monday, February 27, at 2:00 PM in the chapel of Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home with Larry Dresser officiating. The pallbearers will be Matt Beal, Derek Hines, Evan Rowland, Jay Dougherty, David Lindsey, and Craig Beal. Interment will be at Highland Cemetery in Durant, Oklahoma.

In lieu of floral donations, the family would like friends and family to consider memorial donations to the First Baptist Church Durant Southeastern BCM Building Fund, 124 West Evergreen, Durant, OK 74701 in memory of Ruby Bowen.