Educator, entrepreneur, and colorful member of the North Fork community, Mary Louise Harman Bowers passed away April 8, 2024, at her home at Seneca Rocks.
She was born Jan. 4, 1931, at Macksville, the daughter of Ivan and Gae Vance Harman.
Mrs. Bowers attended the one room schools in the Harman Hills before graduating from Circleville High School with the class of 1948. She then went to Davis and Elkins College where she became certified to teach K-12, as well as obtaining a bachelor of science in business.
Upon graduation she began teaching in a small two room school at Doe Hill. Part of her job each morning was to light the hanging kerosene lamps, and she practiced until she was able to hop from chair to chair and light them all with one wooden match. Parents would donate food so she would put the roast on to boil when she got to school. Students would peel potatoes, and a parent would come before lunch to help get everything ready. She also taught at Short Gap and other schools before joining the staff at Circleville High School in 1957 to teach typing and shorthand. Over the years she trained students who were recruited for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency because of their clerical skills and students who served as court reporters for the United States Supreme Court. In 1969 she and her student, Shirley Weese Sherman, were honored in Chicago as the National Touch Shorthand Teacher and Student of the Year.
She received her master’s degree in counseling and when the South Branch Vocational Center opened, she began a second career in education serving as the center’s counselor. When she retired from education, she and her husband built and opened Skate World, Bowers’ Woodsedge Trailer Park, and Macksville Mart.
A staunch Republican, she was a member of the Pendleton County Republican Committee, West Virginia Education Association, Pendleton County Education Association and West Virginia Association of Retired School Employees, and was a 62-year member of Franklin Chapter #138 Order of the Eastern Star. In 1950, she joined the West Virginia University Extension Homemakers Onego-Seneca Club in order to drive her mother and her friends to meetings. She continued with the Dixie CEOS club, making her a 73-year participant of the extension program. Although she was a member of High Rock Church, she taught Sunday School as long as she was able at Valley Chapel Church in Riverton.
She loved to travel — first with her friends, Ivan and Debbie Jirak, and then later with the school groups that explored other countries. Some of her favorite trips were to Italy, Egypt, Israel, Australia, and Germany.
On Dec. 24, 1952, she married Ward Conley Bowers. This marriage lasted 47 years until her husband passed away in 1999. Along the way they had two daughters Mary Christine and Suelinn.
Surviving are a daughter, Suelinn; a sister, Dottie Harman Roy; a brother, John Verzich; five grandchildren, Kyle Mahluo and Kaela, Keenen, Patrick, and Miles Bowers; a special niece, Vickie Skavenski; three special nephews, Sonny O’Neil, Kevin Roy, and Carl Bowers; two nieces, Jeanne O’Neil and Angie Nestor; a goddaughter, Deana Jirak; a godson, Jonathan Jirak; her angel of a caregiver, Caroline Hoffman; her nighttime companions, Sherry Hedrick, Nancy Watson, and Sally George; four special friends, Patsy Hedrick, Dona Bennett, and Neil and Mary Robinson; and many great-nieces and -nephews.
She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Mary; and a sister, Juanita.
Funeral services were held Sunday in the High Rock Church at Seneca Rocks with Pastor Robert Baer officiating. Entombment was in North Fork Memorial Cemetery at Riverton.
Memorials may be made in honor of Mrs. Bowers to North Fork Memorial Cemetery, Maintenance Fund, c/o Jack Bennett, 390 Harper Gap Road, Seneca Rocks, WV 26884.
Memories and words of comfort may be left at www.basagic.com or on Facebook at Basagic Funeral Home.
