Brumley-Mills Funeral Home
October 7, 2021
Submitted by: Carol Spear Rice

Joseph Dyrel Bowen, 82, passed away Oct. 5, 2021 in Wichita Falls, TX. He was born on May 26, 1939 in Idabel, Ok. to tux and Viola Bowen. He attended early days of school at Scipio, and later graduated from Indianola High School. Upon graduation he joined the United States Air Force, where he proudly served his country from 1956 to 1961. Joe married Anita Sue Bryant on March 25, 1958 and had 2 sons, Ron and Steve. Immediately after leaving the service, he went to work for the Department of Defense in a Civil Service capacity. His job took him to Texas, and they settled in the small town of Princeton. There he was very active in the community and served as President of the School board for 4 years. After 38 years, working for several different agencies of the DOD, he retired and in 1994 moved back to his much loved and native McAlester, Okla. He lived there amongst friends and family until 2007 when he decided to move to Holliday, TX to be closer to immediate family. Although he was in Texas, he remained a member of the First Free Will Baptist Church in McAlester. While in Holliday, he was a regular attendee at the First Baptist Church. Joe was a hardworking, fun loving, Christian family man. If anyone around him looked like they were having fun, that's where he wanted to be. Friends often referred to him as the oldest teenager that they knew. He loved to bowl, which he was still doing, he loved family outings, camping and being at the lake. He was an outdoor person and liked to work in the yard. Generally, he just loved piddling around outside. His most favorite thing though was being with his family and enjoying the company of his wife, sons, and grandkids. Joe is survived by his wife of 62 years, Anita Bowen of Holliday, TX; his son Ron Bowen and wife Sandy of Holliday, and his son Steve Bowen and wife Jean of Ponce de Leon, FL; grandsons, Clinton Bowen and wife Kendra of Burleson, TX, J. D. Bowen and wife Michelle of Princeton, LA, Bryant Bowen and wife Kristina of Heflin, LA, Tyler Risner of Heflin, LA, and granddaughter, Jami Weeks and husband Joey of Ponce de Leon, FL,; and 11 great grandchildren; and a sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Jim Barnes of Hartshorne. He was preceded in death by his parents, Tux and Viola Bowen, a brother, Milton Bowen, a sister, Reta Powell, and a grandson, Daniel Bowen. Services will be held on Monday, Oct. 11, at 2:00 p.m. at Brumley-Mills Funeral Home in McAlester. A visitation will be held at the same location on Sunday afternoon from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Burial will take place at Hugh Low Cemetery near Scipio. Pallbearers will be Clinton Bowen, J. D. Bowen, Bryant Bowen, Tyler Risner, Monte Ivey and Stoney Barns.

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