William Luther Bowman Jr.

William Luther Bowman, Jr, 84, of Lowndesville, SC, husband of Sybil Burton Bowman, died Thursday, September 8, 2016 at Rainey Hospice House in Anderson, SC. He was born in Lowndesville, SC to the late William Luther Bowman, Sr. and Molly Storey Bowman and was twice married, first to the late Leathea Simmons Bowman. Mr. Bowman was a 1950 graduate of Lowndesville High School and 1954 graduate of Clemson University with a B.S. in Animal Husbandry. He proudly served his country in the United States Army and retired as a Lt. Col. Mr. Bowman was employed with Bigelow Sanford for 10 years and retired as Director of the SC Vocational Rehabilitation Center with 30 years of service. He was a devoted member of Smyrna United Methodist Church where he served as Sunday School Teacher in the Young Adult Class and was a Gideon in the Starr-Iva Camp. Mr. Bowman was widely respected in his community having served on numerous boards including the Abbeville/Anderson County Cattlemen Association, Farm Bureau Association, SC Beef Board, Abbeville County Memorial Hospital Board and Abbeville County Zoning Board. He was honored by being selected as Cattleman of the Year from the SC Cattlemen's Association and was a Mason with the Iva Masonic Lodge # 238. Mr. Bowman spent his life as a beef cattle farmer and farming brought him much pleasure. In addition to his parents and first wife, he was preceded in death by a son, Phil Burton. Mr. Bowman is survived by his wife, Sybil, of 14 years of the home; children, William L. Bowman, III and his wife Mary Anna of Lowndesville, SC, Elizabeth 'Beth' Bowman Keating and her husband, Mike of Charlotte, NC, Steve Burton and his wife, Kelly of Anderson, SC, , and Tammie Burton of Anderson; a brother, George Storey Bowman and his wife, Dora of Lowndesville, SC; a sister, Sarah Bowman Cooper of Spartanburg, SC; nine grandchildren, Collyn Bowman, Zander Barth, Olivia Barth, Emma Bowman, Luke Bowman, Molly Davis (Ross), Ryan Burton (Breana), Garrett Burton (Kristy), Erica Garrett (Oakley); and seven great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends 6:00PM – 8:00PM, Saturday, September 10, 2016, in Harris Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 11:00AM, Sunday, September 11, 2016 in Smyrna United Methodist Church, 439 Main Street, Lowndesville, SC with Rev. Dan Fortney and Rev. Scotty Willoughby officiating. Burial will follow in Smyrna Cemetery with full military honors. Memorial contributions, in memory of Mr. Bowman, may be sent to Smyrna United Methodist Church, Leathea and Luther Bowman Scholarship, PO Box 100, Lowndesville, SC 29659. The family is at the home in Lowndesville, SC. A message of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com. HARRIS FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES is assisting the Bowman family.