“Lillian “Bea” Bartley Bowling was born November 3, 1919 and died January 14, 2018. She was born in Bowling Fork, Pike County, Kentucky and died at her home in Belleville, Michigan surrounded by her family.”
It was then I realized this woman, was my Grade 3 and Grade 4 teacher at Eugene B Elliott Elementary School in Westland, Michigan somewhere in the late 1970s.
I kept in touch with her until Easter 2016 and then my own life had faced some difficulties and challenges with my father’s own health and ultimately him losing a long brave battle. Mrs Bowling was an angel, my own guardian angel, here on earth and was an amazing guiding force in my life. She was the image of the loving and supportive grandmother that you may see in a Hallmark television showcase or one you wish you too had. Both my grandmothers were not part of my childhood for various reasons, so I guess I she filled the yearning void. During our phone calls over the years, even to the last time we talked, she kept me in check and cheered me on in my accomplishments in academia, career and life. Not only she continued to be interested in me and my life happenings as I grew older, but cared enough of my parents to see how they are doing as well and always asked if I remained in touch with friends from our shared elementary school. Thanks to internet and social media, even moving to Florida many years earlier, there's a good handful of us who I still chat and reminisce of our great childhood years and our years in her class at Eugene B Elliott Elementary School.
At the time, I never would have believed an angel came to earth disguised as a mortal. But imagine my surprise, when I first met this old teacher (old by my standards meant she was older than my parents) with a southern draw welcomed me into her classroom for the next two years for Grade 3 and Grade 4. It is now, many years later when you mention Mrs Bowling to me, the first thing I remember is her energy, her memory, her spunk and her ability to make such a profound impact on so many youth in such memorable ways is something I wish teachers of today still had. This is not nostalgic memories but someone who indeed go above and beyond and made a difference is so many lives. She not only took interest in her students but their families and went out of her way to make each of us feel just a very special to her by finding our light and our talents. My elementary school memories from her spelling challenges, to the math facts recitals and everything in between as well as her leading us in song every morning after the Pledge of Allegiance, she was the teacher who just exemplified the profession in so many ways.
As I continued to read, I learned she was a devoted Christian with her faith guiding her life. She was a faithful attendee at church and greatly enjoyed worship services. Though never imposed her faith in the classroom, I think we all felt her faith in her discipline as we all knew we had to answer to her in the classroom and in due we all answered to a higher authority in God. Her expectation in the classroom was we maintain self-discipline, self-control and followed the golden rule of doing unto others as we wish them to do unto us. Her expectation is we give it our all in all that we do and maintain ourselves in a manner that we would carry ourselves proudly and be a reflection of being in her classroom was something to hold our heads high above and be proud – and we were!
After retirement Mrs. Bowling helped organize a ladies auxiliary at the Ypsilanti Old Regular Baptist Church.
“For years she and the ladies made and sold fried apple pies, baked goods and rummage sales. They earned enough money to build a fellowship hall which is named in her honor.”
With her smile, she’s beaming down from heaven knowing her legacy and memory will remain at the church she so loved.
I continued to read,
“She was the daughter of Alvin Duvall Bartley and Dixie Belcher Bartley. In 1943 she married Jonah Elwyon Bowling. Their children are Elwonna, Alvin (Mildred), Cora E. and Maurice (Judy Merling). Dearest grandmother of Elwyon Shawn, William Gregory, and Michael Dwayne; great-grandmother of Natasha, K’La, Samantha, Jonah, and Austin; great-great grandmother of 6. She is also survived by her brother Robert Jackson Bartley. She was devoted to her family and enjoyed having them at her home.”
The phone calls I had with her, calling at least annually around the holidays, was something I always cherished. Our conversations often centered around her amazingly large family gatherings, especially around the holidays and her unconditional love of family, friends and past students (or as she called us pupils) who kept in touch with her over the years. She always was larger than life itself to me and my admiration and fondness remained strong and my memories will remain with me for years to come. Though I don’t live my life in regret, even though I kept in touch, I never made it back to Michigan to see her after so many years moving to Florida.
She often talked about her daily walks to feed all her animals and tending to her gardens. Her classroom often had live plants which brought a sense of comfort to her classroom, as my own mother always had plants throughout our home. According to the memoriam,
“She also enjoyed her animals-dogs, cats, goats, chickens and geese as long as she was able to care for them. Her last dog Trixie was her constant companion for over two years they were inseparable.”
I can picture in my mind exactly this image, ever so clearly and vividly with a gleaming smile ear-to-ear and her walking about, feeding them by hand and talking to each and every living being.
With tears streaming down my cheeks, I continued to read,
"Mother valued reading, learning and education. She earned her Associates Degree from Alice Lloyd College in Kentucky and her Bachelors Degree from Pikeville College. She attended Friday nights, Saturdays and Summers while teaching full time and being a wife and mother. Mother was a much beloved teacher for 42 years in Kentucky and Westland, Michigan. She was a remarkable woman and determined to succeed. She did. She is preceded in death by her husband Jonah Elwyon Bowling, her parents Alvin and Dixie Bartley, her brothers Dewey and Willie Alvin Bartley Jr., and her sister Dexter Bartley Ratliff Cantrell.”
Our loss of her, is Heaven's gain of a wonderful angel who will continue looking out for us and smiling proudly at her family and friends which she spoke so often about. Godspeed to you Mrs. Bowling, thank you for being the amazing teacher and human being you were to me and countless number of children who you taught not only academics but to be confident and self-disciplined children who became successful adults! May the gates of heaven be opened up to you as you opened up the love of learning to us all. Although we will mourn you, our cherished memories will celebrate you and keep you alive eternally in our hearts.
Touching indeed, and surprising you kept in touch with your grade school teacher.
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