Iva Loy Bowen

Private family graveside services for Mrs. Iva Loy Vaught Bowen, age 99, of Bonham were held at Willow Wild Cemetery in Bonham, Texas, under the direction of Wise Funeral Home.  The family will receive friends at 5:00 PM Wednesday; June 27, 2018 at 420 Meadow Lane, Bonham, Texas.  Mrs. Bowen passed away on Sunday, June 24, 2018 at the Woodmore Assisted Living in Bonham.

Mrs. Bowen was born in Edhube, the daughter of Roy Vaught and Nellie Jones Vaught.  She was a graduate of Edhube High School and later married James Robert Bowen Sr. on Jan. 19, 1940 in Paris, Texas.  She worked at Big Smith as a line inspector and retired in 1981.  Iva and her husband became  Antique dealers primarily selling and trading in Glassware until 1999.  She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. She enjoyed working in her yard, her passion was working in the Willow Wild Cemetery and loved crocheting baby blankets and scarves. Several of her blankets went to South Africa with her granddaughter to take for needy children.  Iva enjoyed sports including basketball, football and baseball and she really loved the Texas Rangers.  She loved to tell a story about her playing on a "Boys" baseball team as a young adult.   She loved reading, crafts, bingo and going to church at the Woodmore.  Iva also enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, "James" Robert Bowen Sr. on August 31, 2007 and her sons, Billy Bowen (KIA) Vietnam in 1968 and James "Robert" Bowen Jr. on June 7, 2016.  Sister, Geneva Thompson, brothers Harold Vaught, Clarence Vaught and Herbert Vaught.

She is survived by:

Granddaughter:  Susan Bowen of Frisco

Daughter-in-law:  Virginia Bowen of Bonham

Niece:  Theresa Cochran of Daphna, Alabama

Cousin:  Johnelle Sebastian of Seagoville, Texas

Extended family and host of friends, including Alyssa Wernick, Betsy Wernick, Alice Wernick, Libby Wernick, Donna Pool, Mittie McClure, Patty McClure, Sherry Zindars, and Linda Newton

Special friends, Buddy Lacewell, Lanny Davis,  and Rita Castle

Memorials may be made to the Willow Wild Cemetery Association PO BOX 159 Bonham, Texas 75418