Leavy Alton Bowen

On October 2, 2017, Leavy Alton “Buddy” Bowen, age 88, passed away peacefully at home with his family at his bedside. Alton was the middle of 10 children born to Marion Leavy Bowen and Clara Mae Hutto in Dooly County, Georgia. He met his sweetheart and future wife Rubinell Christmas at the small country school they both attended. They married in 1948 while he was a student at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and were blessed with 5 children: Natalie McLeod (Jim Corbett) of Augusta, GA, Keith Bowen (Audrey Forbes); Kenneth Bowen and Kevin Bowen (Lisa Sirmans), and Angel Brown (Keith Brown), all of Warner Robins, Georgia.

One of the first computer programmers at Robins Air Force base, he soon advanced to a supervisory position. He continued there until his health required him to take a medical retirement in the mid 1970’s. Never one to sit idly, he soon put his countless skills and legendary talents to work in the family business, Bowen Home Builders. Finally persuaded to “retire,” he and Rubinell became enamored of spending summers RV’ing and fishing in Alaska with a group of special friends. Across the years, Alton was active in several area churches, serving as a Sunday School teacher, RA leader, and deacon at Second Baptist, Shirley Hills Baptist, Green Acres Baptist, and most recently, Friendship Baptist.

Along with his parents, he was predeceased in death by his wife of 67 years, Rubinell Christmas, a granddaughter Elizabeth Claire McLeod, a great-granddaughter Paisley Anne Aloi, 6 sisters: Mamie Lou Jacobs, Alma Langford, Lila Woodard, Ruth Kohler, Shirley Walton, and Nancy Connor (Russell Connor) and three brothers: Grady, Ralph, and Harold. In addition to his five children, he leaves behind grandchildren Jeremy McLeod, of Atlanta, GA; Susannah McLeod (Chloe), of Denver, CO; Caroline McLeod Harris (Marlin) of Charlotte, NC; Melody Bowen (Audrey) of Richmond, VA; Sarah Osborne (Griffin) of Milledgeville, GA; and Julia Bowen Mize (Aaron); Emily Bowen Aloi (Joe); David Bowen; Ashley Bowen Woolsey (James); Myles Bowen (Brittany); Anna Claire Brown; Jacob Walker Brown; Molly Elizabeth Brown; and one great grandson, Bowen Woolsey, all of Warner Robins, GA.

In life and in the legacy he leaves behind, he embodied the maxim anything worth doing, is worth doing well. With dedication and steadfast service, he loved his family and those he called his friends, providing without complaint or need for acknowledgment. Faithful and honorable, he never faltered in his devotion to his sweetheart, the love of his life, Rubinell Bowen. In good times and bad, he acted with honor and unwavering conviction of the right. Because of him, this world has an example of what a real man is, kind, generous, and constant in his comittments.

The family is especially grateful to his caretakers Sharonica Walker, Shirley Thomas, Tammy Thomas, and Merlin Wilson. A celebration of his life will be held at Friendship Baptist Church on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. The family will receive visitors for two hours before the service at Friendship Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the library at Friendship Baptist Church, 1322 Feagin Mill Road, Warner Robins, GA. 31088 or the Alzheimer’s Association, 886 Mulberry Street, Macon, GA. 31201.

McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with Mr. Bowen’s arrangements.