Deceased Name: Douglas Durwood Bowen

© Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home

Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

Douglas Durwood Bowen passed into eternity to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on February 13, 2014 from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

He was born in Yuba, Oklahoma on August 31, 1934, to Thomas and Thelma Sanders Bowen.

He attended Yuba schools where he played basketball.

In 1957 he was drafted into the US Army and served most of his time in West Germany. As a member of the Army Security Agency, he assisted in intercepting communications from Russia's Mediterranean submarine fleet as well as Russia's 1st Tank Division located in East Germany. He was honorably discharged from the US Army on February 8, 1960.

Doug then attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University where he met Bernita and they were married on June 1, 1963.

In 1967, Douglas graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Elementary Education and later received his Master's Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

He served as Minister of Music and Education at First Baptist Church in Whitesboro, Texas, for three years. From 1970 to 1975, Douglas served as Minister of Education and Music at Calvary Baptist Church in Lufkin, Texas. In 1975, he became Minister of Education at Calvary Baptist in Longview, Texas. Starting in 1979 Douglas served twenty years as Minister of Education at First Baptist Church in Houma, Louisiana.

Doug retired and returned to Durant, Oklahoma, where he continued to enjoy his favorite pastimes: attending First Baptist Church of Armstrong, visiting nursing homes, fishing, gardening, sharing Jesus, hugging everyone he met, and enjoying family. In 2008, he and Bernita moved to Altus, Oklahoma, to live with their daughter and followed the family in 2011 to Oklahoma City.

Douglas was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Quata Porter of Lawton, Oklahoma.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Bernita Brumley Bowen; one son, Barry Bowen of Dallas, Texas; one daughter, Amy Keith and her husband, Russ of Oklahoma City; three grandchildren, Sara, Mitchell, and Emily Keith, all of Oklahoma City; two brothers, Tommy Bowen and his wife, Donna Kay of Calera, Oklahoma, and Randell Bowen of Denison, Texas; five sisters, Ramona Cox of Indianola, Oklahoma, Jean Ridley of Bonham, Texas, Deanie Citty of Haworth, Oklahoma, Ruthie Daniel and her husband, W.C. of Coleman, Oklahoma, and Barbara Wells and her husband, Stephen of Durant, Oklahoma; and a host of other family members and friends.

Family hour will be from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Sunday, February 16, 2014 at the Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home in Durant, Oklahoma.

A funeral service in honor of his memory will be held on Monday, February 17, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in the First Baptist Church Armstrong {14 Main St.} with Pastor Monty Wood officiating.

Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery in Durant. Huel Brumley, Quentis Brumley, Randell Bowen, Tommy Bowen, W.C. Daniel and Stephen Wells will serve as pallbearers.

Family and friends may send online condolences and view tributes at www.holmescoffeymurray.com.

Services are under the direction of Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home, Durant, Oklahoma.

Thank You For Your Service!