Annie Merle Bowers, 87, died Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012 at her residence. Mrs. Bowers was born Feb. 3, 1925 in Wayne County to the late Oscar Dennis Herrin and the late Bessie Blanton Herrin. She was a member of Memorial Free Will Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school. Mrs. Bowers was a great cook and seamstress. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was preceded in death by her son, John Edward Bowers; three brothers, Dennis, Earl and J.W. Herrin and six sisters, Estelle Reddish, Verdie Harrison, Vida Pye, Alla Mae Carter, Amie Lee Herrin and Loree Long.
Survivors include her husband of 70 years, James “Ed” Bowers of Baxley; two daughters and sons-in-law, Lois (Mike) Sutton of St. Simons Island and Sherry (Glenn) Stone of Baxley; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Thomas (Ima Deane) Herrin of Baxley and Robert (Betty Jean) Herrin of Surrency; eight grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews also survive.
Funeral services for Annie Merle Bowers were held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22 at Memorial Free Will Baptist Church with the Revs. Amos McMillan, Darrell Quinn, R. M Warren, Ronnie Rentz and Virgil Carter officiating. Interment followed in church cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Bryan Weaver, Brandon Dubberly, Jeremy Bates, Logan Thomas, Josh Smith and Stone Bates.
Honorary pallbearers were Jerry and Charlotte Mann, Curt and Bobbie McMillan, Gene and Beth Mann, Larry and Pam Aspinwall, Dr. Erroll and Denise Graham, Southern Care Hospice Group, Memorial Free will Baptist Church Adult Sunday School class, Hilda McCall, Kathleen Overstreet, Susan Quinn, Dr. Erick Bournigal, James and Sue Dixon, Bernie and Dereta Kent, James and Joan Carter, Wanda Powell, Eula Lee Page, James and Melba Rentz, Pete and Brenda Mann and the Rev. Virgil and Betty Carter.
Musical selections were rendered by Bryn Coleman, Shelbi Weaver, Kay Eunice, Bryan Weaver and Winton Herrin.
Arrangements were under the direction of Swain Funeral Home.