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A lifetime of service
By Chris Yow
The Weekly Post
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Published February 4, 2010
It was a real surprise for Dorothy Bowman when Rainsville Chamber of Commerce President Tim Eberhart asked her to come into his office.
Bowman was even more surprised when he asked if she knew who the 2010 Person of the Year was going to be.
She was not aware until that time, that she had won the award.
“It was a real surprise. I was just honored that Greta Steifel even nominated me,” said Bowman.
The honor was received at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet held at the Tom Bevill Enrichment Center in Rainsville.
“It was very special to receive the award in the Bevill Center,” said Bowman, “My late husband, Joe, was on the committee for this building when they started.”
Bowman’s husband Joe was a special man.
At the young age of 15, 15 and a half when you ask her, Joe proposed to her on a Sunday. They married the day after on Monday, and left for Detroit, Mich. on Tuesday.
The four months they were in Detroit are the only four months Bowman has spent away from Rainsville.
She lived in the same place for 72 years on Rainbow Dr. She now lives in a garden community in Rainsville.
Her father was a merchant in the city as well as a farmer.
In fact, he was one of only two store owners in town at one time.
After she and Joe returned from Detroit, where Joe hated the city, the couple moved into a home next to her father.
She was daddy’s girl anyway. Bowman was born on her father’s 39th birthday.
While Joe had started in the insurance business, they eventually built a couple chicken houses and Bowman stayed home with the children and chickens. “I never had an ambition to work much,” said Bowman. But she did occasionally substitute teach at school.
However, a civil service test was being given in Gadsden and someone talked her into going with them.
When she came out, she had scored sixth highest on the test.
One thing led to another and Bowman eventually became a mail carrier.
She then worked at the Post Office, and retired after 20 years of service.
Bowman still volunteers at the DeKalb Regional Medical Center as a Red Cross worker. She has been doing that for over 20 years. Bowman also volunteers with the Haymon Homes sponsored by Broadway Baptist Church.
She served on the first board of the DeKalb Interfaith Medical Clinic, and has been a missionary to numerous parts of the world, such as Ukraine, China, Denmark, and most recently Haiti.
Bowman said, “Many years ago, I prayed that I could step through every door God opened for me.
“I am one of many who serve the community.”
This year, Dorothy Bowman is the Person of the Year.
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