Helen Bowen

A loving and hospitable homemaker, Helen Bowen, age 96, of Xenia, passed away Saturday December 14th, 2019, at 10:05 pm, and was welcomed into Heaven by her Lord and Savior. She was born June 15, 1923 in Perry County, Kentucky to Lewis Edward and Elma Brandenburg. Helen was a 1941 graduate of Stivers High School. She married Ballard Coy Bowen on July 25, 1941 and they were married almost 70 years until his death in 2011. They had made a loving life together in Spring Valley Township with their five children for over 56 years before moving to Xenia. In her early 20's, Helen became a Christian and was baptized at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Dayton and later became a member at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Xenia where she taught Sunday School for nearly 40 years. Helen recently joined Dayton Ave. Baptist Church. She also volunteered in Missions/Missionary work and at the American Cancer Society. Besides her family and her faith, Helen loved writing, drawing, sewing and cooking. In her later years, she enjoyed traveling to places like Israel and Alaska, among others. Helen's children remember her talents with cooking such things as cornbread, layered dessert, cinnamon toast and lemon pie. Helen is survived by her daughters, Jane (Hershell) Ritchie of Spring Valley, Debra (Keith) Lakes of Cape Coral, Florida, Mary Ann Stewart of Spring Valley Township; sons, Jerry (Rosemary) and Michael, both of Xenia; eleven grandchildren; twenty seven great-grandchildren; fifteen great-great grandchildren; one great-great-great grandchild; numerous nephews, nieces and other relatives, and many many close friends. She was preceded in death by her husband and parents; step-father, Harmon Fraley; sisters, Delana and Celest; brother, Darvon J.; and grandsons, Richard Wright and Travis Franks. You are invited to experience all of Helen's favorite things at her Life Celebration Services beginning with a visitation on Saturday December 21st from 9:00 am until time of services at 10:30 am at Dayton Ave. Baptist Church, 1121 Dayton Ave., Xenia. Pastor Bruce Traeger officiating. Graveside services will be later at 1:00 pm at Spring Valley Cemetery. You are welcome to send a condolence or flowers, or share a story about Helen at www.ConnerAndKoch.com by clicking on her name. Copyright Notice © 2019 (Conner & Koch Life Celebration Home) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This obituary is a work protected under international and federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this compiled work may be reproduced, altered or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author. The author hereby grants the newspaper the right to publish the complied work on the dates and location provided in the submission details and further grants to the newspaper the right to reproduce the work electronically in any website or digital medium owned or controlled by the newspaper provided the copy is not altered or modified in any way. The funeral home's website domain must accompany any reproduction of the work. The work must not be used for or by any person for direct commercialized gain in competition with the author, the funeral home, or their respective businesses. Privacy Disclaimer The information contained in this Book of Memories is intended solely for the private use of the families and friends of the deceased to support each other and honor, respect and pay tribute to the memory of the deceased. Any and all other use is strictly prohibited. Without limiting the foregoing, any reproduction, distribution of the information contained herein, nor any contact or solicitation of any person identified in this work, nor any attempt to use the information in the work is prohibited.

Helen Bowen

June 15, 1923 - December 14, 2019