Nellie Mae (Hester) Bowman

Mrs. Nellie Mae Bowman, age 82, of Iva, SC, went home to her heavenly Father on January 2, 2022.  She was born April 6, 1939 to the late Moriah Smith Davis and Chick Hester.

Nellie joined Holly Creek Baptist Church at an early age and then later joined Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where she sang on the gospel choir.  She retired from Gold Acre Nursing Home in Iva, SC after many years of dedicated service.

To know Nellie was to love her because she was everyone's grandmother, sister, auntie or friend.  She touched so  many lives with her cooking and opening her home to everyone.  She enjoyed going fishing anytime she had the chance.

She is survived by her children, four daughters, Joyce Thompson (James), Mattie Willingham (Manuel), Elizabeth Baskin (Larry) and Gracie Brown all of Anderson, SC; three sons, George Hester, Robert Hester both of Iva, SC and Joe D. Bowman (Pam) of Seneca, SC; one sister, Sylvene Webb of Anderson, SC; three grandsons that were reared in the home, Ed'Dorus "Kinta" Willingham, RoJay Hester and BJ McBride; one great-granddaughter reared in the home, LaQuisha Bowman; in addition to five more grandchildren, thirty-one great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild; two brothers-in-law, Melvin Bowman (Ida Mae) and Johnny Bowman; two sisters-in-law, Doellen Bowman-Paul (J.L.) and Mattie Mae McGowan; her best friend, Ruth Hunter; and a host of nieces, nephews, other loving relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Dan Lewis Bowman; four daughters, Rosella McBride, Nellie Ann Bowman, Brenda Hall and Irene Paul; two grandchildren, Christopher Thompson and Carmencita Turman; four great grandchildren, Keyondez Turman, Bendarius Turman, Justice and Jaivion Hester; mother-in-law, Lucinda Bowman; one sister, Dorothy Hester Gray McDuffie; two brothers-in-law, Joe M. Bowman and Elmer Bowman, Jr.; two sisters-in-law, Shirley Bowman and Hattie Bowman; and two sons-in-law, Larry McBride and George David "Coon" Willingham.

Public viewing will be held on Friday, January 7, 2022 from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

The funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 8, 2022 in the Ollie Robinson Brown Memorial Chapel of Marcus D. Brown Funeral Home.  The interment will follow at Kingdom Vision Worship Center (Holly Creek Baptist Church) Cemetery.

At the request of the family, if you plan to attend the service, please wear a mask.

The family is at the home.

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