Voncile Bowen

Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate! Its time to celebrate! The doors of Heaven have opened and the angels have begun to sing to honor Voncile Bowen, affectionately known as Mother Bowen!
She was born June 9, 1924 in Evergreen, Alabama and raised in Pensacola, Florida by her elder sister after both her parents deceased at early ages. She accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior at a very young age. She was a member of the choir and fell in love with Gospel Music. While the Navy was at port of call, she met a young serviceman on leave by the name of John Bowen, whom she fell deeply in love and later married.
They moved to Michigan when John gained employment with General Motors in 1948. They became members of the Harris Temple Church of God in Christ before accepting the call to full-time ministry and founded Lighthouse Church of God in Christ in Carrollton, Michigan. Mother Bowen worked tirelessly by her husbands side and quickly became known as a fervent prayer warrior. She opened her home to many families in need and in doing so created an extended family that she loved as her own.
Revisiting her love for Gospel Music, she organized her sons and grandchildren into a singing group, The Bowen Gospel Singers. She managed the group as they received modest acclaim in the Gospel music industry. They performed in concert with many gospel greats such as: The Mighty Clouds of Joy, The Hawkins Family, The Winans and Shirley Caesar to name a few.
She was a woman of strong faith with a zeal for serving the Lord. She loved fashion and had a passion for travel. Most recently she traveled to Hawaii with her daughters, which she called the trip of a lifetime. Mother Bowen was known in the NBA family as Grandma and they all loved her like she was their own.
She leaves to cherish her a legacy of life shared with her late husband, Elder John Bowen, of 63 years. Four sons and five daughters: John (Shirley) Bowen, Jr. of Mesa, Arizona, Elder Paul (Vicki) Bowen of San Antonio, Texas, Jeffery (Gerri-Lynn) Bowen, Tyrone A. Bowen Sr.-deceased (Elaine), Patricia Prescott, Pastor Dorothy (Leon) Burns, Geri Walker, Elaine (Johnnie-deceased) Richardson-Cook, Stacey Bowen and Brian (Carrie) Bowen, all of Saginaw, 38 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, 5 great-great grandchildren, a devoted sister-in-law Ann Merkerson of Detroit, MI, one brother-in-law Norman Bowen, sisters-in-law Mildred Crump, Velma (Elsie) Hatch, Lee Simien and Ruby Jones, a host of nieces, nephews and friends. She leaves to cherish her memory special friends Mother Parm, Mother Howard and the entire VBM Mothers Board. Many fond memories will forever be cherished by her special grandson Robert Cook who lived and cared for her like royalty until her untimely end.
She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Elder John Bowen, son Tyrone A. Bowen Sr., three sisters (Loise McSwain lived with her until her demise), one brother, grandson Marlow Prescott, son-in-law Johnnie Cook and spiritual children Elder Daniel and Marzzette Shropshire.