On Friday, September 4, 2015 Bess, formerly of Port Arthur, ended her adventure on earth and joined her family, friends, and our Lord in Heaven. At the time of her passing, she was at Post Acute Medical Specialty Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas being watched over by our guardian angels Lorena Salinas and Angelica Flores. Bess was 107.
Bess came into this world on November 22, 1907 in Caldwell, Burleson County, Texas to the proud parents Kate Porter Bain and William Harvey Bain. She was the younger sister of Raymond Cecile Bain White and would eventually become an older sister herself to Cora Bert Bain.
In 1923, Bess graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, Texas. She attended Southwestern College where she received her teaching certificate. She then taught school in Seguin and Medina Lake. She later worked at the Gulf Oil Company and was the owner and operator of the Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio in Port Athur, Texas  for over 30 years all while being a member of Port Arthur First Baptist Church.
Bess was a resident of Port Arthur, Texas for over 70 years before moving to Kingsville, Texas 25 years ago where she became a member of the Kingsville Women’s Club.
Bess was reunited with many family and friends last Friday including her parents, Kate Porter Bain and William Harvey Bain; her husband, John Mance Bowden Jr; her sisters, Cecile Bain White and Cora Bert Bain; her step-daughter Laurah Bowden Banks Furguson West Jackson; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Wiley Gus Bowden and Leta Leithead Bowden; grandson Kenneth West; and cousin Inez Van Meter True just to name a few.
Her life will be celebrated by her family and friends including: her son and daughter-in-law Gary Mance Bowden and Lola Moses Bowden, of Kingsville; grandchildren, John Mance Bowden III of Gatesville, Texas, Michelle Bowden McCoy and her husband Doyle McCoy of Pflugerville, Texas, Nicole Bowden of Round Rock, Texas, Dannielle Bowden of Round Rock, Texas, Kathy West Robinson and her husband Ricky Robinson of Iuka, Mississippi, Dan West of Crystal Island, Texas, Krystal and Ray Meredith of Killeen, Texas, Davina and Martin Covarrubias of Kingsville, Texas, Ayelet De Luna of Kingsville, Texas, and Janna Dugie of Tyler, Texas; great grand children, Katie and LD McCoy, Emily Whitesurst, Craig Robinson, Adam West and his wife Melanie West, Sarah Maddie Seller, Alexandria Grace Meredith, Martin Jr and Mariah Covarrubias, and Gosiah and Azariah De Luna; great-great grand children Tyler and Jake Whitesurst, Carson and Kelly Robinson, and Elektra, Alysa, Isaiah, Amara West.
Bess was blessed to have had a very special caregiver she bonded with over the last 18 months Lorena Salinas. Her other round the clock caregivers near the end of her adventure here were Tammy Donelson, Courtney Steward, Lois Craig, Angelica Flores, and Ashley Kelley. Bess’s family appreciates all of their time and dedication to Bess.
She will be forever missed by all of her family and friends, who are laughing and smiling while thinking about Bess arguing with Saint Peter that he is doing everything wrong and he should do things her way.
A visitation will be held on Monday September 7, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.at the Turcotte- Piper Mortuary Chapel. A Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday September 8th, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Turcotte-Piper Mortuary Chapel. A graveside will follow on Thursday September 10, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Greenlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Port Arthur, TX.