Gerald Elwood Bowling

IN LOVING MEMORY:


GERALD ELWOOD BOWLING 74, WAS BORN MAY 5, 1938 IN LOWESVILLE VIRGINIA. HE WAS CALLED HOME ON MAY 6, 2012. GERALD WAS A VETERAN OF THE US NAVY. AFTER HIS SERVICE IN THE NAVY, HE EVENTUALLY SETTLED IN ORLANDO, FL. WHERE HE MARRIED LINDA YVONNE BOWLING AND HAD TWO SONS, JARRETT AND ERIC. HE WORKED AND RETIRED FROM PEPSI-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY- WITH MANY EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AND YEAR HONORS. GERALD WAS ALSO A VERY PROUD MEMBER OF SHENANDOAH BAPTIST CHURCH, WHERE HE SANG IN THE CHOIR.


GERALD WAS A LOVING, CARING, HARD WORKING HUSBAND, FATHER AND GRANDFATHER. NOBODY WAS SAFE FROM HIS JOKES OR BEING PICKED ON. HE LOVED TO BE AROUND PEOPLE, FRIENDS, FAMILY AND LOVED THE ATTENTION.
HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS MOTHER- EVA BOWLING, HIS SISTER- DOROTHY CLEMENTS, 2 BROTHERS- BENJAMIN AND CLEVELAND BOWLING, 2 SONS- JARRETT AND ERIC BOWLING, AND HIS GRANDSON- AUSTIN BOWLING.


GERALD HAD A RELENTLESS PASSION FOR ALL SPORTS- BEING AN ATHLETE HIMSELF, PLAYING BASEBALL, SOFTBALL AND BASKETBALL. HE WAS VERY COMPETITIVE AND DID NOT LIKE TO LOSE AT ANYTHING. HIS 3 TRUE PASSIONS WERE PLAYING GOLF AND TROUT FISHING WITH HIS BROTHERS AND SONS, AS WELL AS PLAYING FANTASY FOOTBALL WITH THE BOYS AND CLOSE FRIENDS.


HE ALSO LOVED TO PLAY HIS GUITAR AND SING NICE AND LOUD SO WE COULD ALL HEAR HIM. THIS HELPED WHEN HE JOINED THE CHURCH CHOIR. HE WAS LIKED AND LOVED BY EVERYONE WHO MET OR KNEW HIM. WITH HIS INFECTIOUS AND TEARFUL LAUGH, YOU KNEW HE WAS THERE.


WE WILL MISS ALL THE COUNTLESS STORIES OF BEING A KID IN VIRGINIA, SQUIRREL HUNTING AND TROUT FISHING WITH HIS BROTHERS. FALLING INTO ALL THE STREAMS AND RIVERS. THEY WOULD STUFF THEIR POCKETS WITH FISH AND SQUIRRELS WHEN THERE WAS NO PLACE ELSE TO CARRY THEM. MEMORIES AND STORIES OF ALL THE GOLF SHOTS AND SCORES OF PAST DAYS, AND EVEN ALL THE DUCK HUNTS AND BASEBALL TALES FROM HIS YOUTH.


HE WILL TRULY BE MISSED, BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN WITH ALL THE LOVE IN OUR HEARTS. REST IN LOVING PEACE AND MAY GOD HOLD YOU IN HIS HANDS TILL WE MEET AGAIN.