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Carol J. Bowers dies at 89

Lead Summary

Carol J. Bowers age 89 of New Hampton, died Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, at the New Aldaya Lifescapes Center in Cedar Falls.Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, at the First United Methodist Church, New Hampton with Pastor Candace Carey presiding. Interment will be in the Alcock Cemetery, rural Tripoli.Friends may greet the family beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday at the church.Funeral arrangements are with Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home in New Hampton.  Online condolences for Carol's family may be left at hugebackfuneralhome.comCarol Joan Bowers was born July 1, 1927, near Sumner, the daughter of Roy and Edith (Flood) Rathbone. She was the seventh of eight children in her family. She received her education in Sumner and graduated from the Sumner High School in 1944. Carol began working for the former Rath Packing Company, Waterloo, in 1944 as a secretary and worked there for four years. On June 29, 1947, at the Little Brown Church, Nashua, she married Lyle L. Bowers. Lyle and Carol owned and operated the local State Farm Agency and Carol was the secretary for 38 years. She will be remembered for her hard work and knowledge of the business. The couple enjoyed wintering in Arizona for 20 years, the time on their houseboat on the Mississippi, playing cards and spending time with her family and friends. She and Lyle delivered Meals On Wheels for many years and continued following the death of Lyle in 1999. She will be most remembered for her kind heart and willingness to help those in need. Memberships included the First United Methodist Church, Order of the Eastern Star and the Methodist Women’s Group.  Survivors include one son, Cy Bowers of New Hampton; two daughters, Linda (Chuck) Skillen of Cedar Falls, Deborah (Bob) Fett of Elma; seven grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren; one brother, Robert Rathbone of Waverly; one sister, Patricia Schedtler of Sumner.She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Lyle on September 24, 1999; one brother, Albert Rathbone; four sisters, Lucille Jarchow, Mercedes Campbell, Edith Nielsen and Betty Levey.  

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