In Loving Memory of Laura Hailey Bowen, 81

Laura Hailey Bowen (81), an Atlanta native, passed away November 6, 2015. Her husband of 58 years, Charles Edgar Bowen; her daughter, Cary Bowen Thorpe; her parents, Dr. & Mrs. William Howard Hailey (Helen); her sister, Jane Hailey Boyd; her brother, William Howard Hailey, Jr and her niece, Helen Hailey Boyd, preceded her in death. She is survived by her daughter, Laura Bowen Carmichael (Archie); her son, Charles E. Bowen, Jr; her grandchildren, Laura Hailey Carmichael Domeck (Justin), A.D. Carmichael V, Elizabeth Thorpe, William Thorpe, Hala Bowen, Chase Bowen and many nieces and nephews. Laura attended E. Rivers Elementary and Washington Seminary (1952) where she made life long friendships. She spent her first two years of college at Sweet Briar in Virginia before transferring to Emory University (1956). She was in one of Emory’s first female undergraduate class and the first female Phi Beta Kappa at Emory in the 15 years. Upon graduating, Laura married Charlie Bowen, her high school sweetheart, in August of 1956 and they began their family. Laura was involved in many organizations throughout her married life. She was a member of the Junior League of Atlanta and a past president (1965-1966). She worked on the boards of the Atlanta Speech School, The Westminster Schools, The Frazer Center and the Alliance Theatre, which she helped to become a part of the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center. Laura was also a member of The Phi Beta Kappa Society and The Piedmont Garden Club. She attended the Cathedral of St. Philip where she taught Sunday school when her children were young. Laura loved to play tennis and was a member of A.L.T.A. from its beginnings. Her tennis team was called The Backyard Bitties, because many of its members had backyard tennis courts. Also, she played bridge every Wednesday with a group of dear friends, who still encouraged her to play even after she became ill. Laura loved the arts, and she was a friend of many local artists such as George Beattie. Beattie painted his one and only portrait for her; the painting was of the family’s beloved dog, Sundance. Even though Laura was busy in Atlanta with all her civic duties, she followed Charlie wherever he went: from boating in the Bahamas to vacationing in Florida, from skiing the mountains of Colorado to spending slow country days at the Dear Farm. Charlie passed away in June, and Laura has followed him in death. Their love for one another would not let them remain parted for long. Both Laura and Charlie (Dear and Pop-pop) will be missed greatly. Her funeral service will be Tuesday November 10th at 10 o’clock in the morning at the Cathedral of St. Philip with burial to follow at Westview Cemetery. The family will receive friends and family in The Gould Room at the Cathedral an hour before the service.