Clara M. Bowie

Clara Bowie, age 82 of Carbondale, died at 7:20 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at the Shawnee Christian Nursing Center, Herrin. She was born October 27, 1934 in Pisgah, MD, daughter of Richard and Jenny Bowie. Clara is survived by her daughters, Lydia (Arthur) Hazel of Makanda, Hope (Nathan) Silkwood of Carbondale; six grandchildren, Jessica Thomas, Sarah Dreppard, Sherry Taylor, Jim Ratcliffe, Tony Hazel and Christy Hazel; three great grandchildren, Bella Thomas, Addison Thomas and Alyssa Phelps; one sister, Joan (Glen) Dichiera of Baltimore, MD, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers and two sisters. Due to her increased vision loss from Retinitis Pigmentosa, she entered the Baltimore Maryland School for the blind in 1947 and graduated in 1953. Due to the generosity of the Indian Head, MD Lions Club, she was able to attend the State Teachers College of Towson, MD, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in June of 1957, the first of her family to obtain a higher education. She then worked as a Rehabilitation Teacher for the blind with the Illinois Department of Human Services, from which she resigned in 1958 upon marring Alvin Roberts of Carbondale. She spent the next 18 years as a homemaker, after which she returned to the workforce in a variety of occupations, including Food Service Manager in Springfield, Management Trainor in Chicago, IRS information Specialist in Chicago, salesperson for Ann Morris Enterprises in Chicago, and Itinerant Teacher of Braille for the Center for Independent Living in Carbondale. During retirement, Clara became an accomplished writer, self-publishing books of poetry and personal memoirs, and free lancing as a columnist for various publications on health issues. Clara committed her life to Christ at the age of 10, to whom she was ever faithful. She offered her beautiful singing voice in service to His church from that time forward. Up to her last months in the nursing home, where she sang at the services there and for her roommates to help soothe their troubles during the night. Her greatest desire was to give glory to God for the sake of others in all that she did. Clara was a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cobden. Funeral Mass for Clara M. Bowie will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church with Father Uriel Salamanca officiating. Interment will be in the Rowan Cemetery in Makanda. Friends may call from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 12, 2017 in the Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home in Cobden. The rosary will be said at 6:30 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Lions Club. Envelopes will be available at the church and the funeral home. Visitation Service Friday, May 12, 2017,5:00PM-7:00PM Rendleman & Hileman Funeral Home 214 North Front Street Cobden, Illinois 62920 Memorial/Funeral Service Saturday, May 13, 2017,10:00AM St. Joseph's Catholic Church 101 North Centennial Street Cobden, Illinois 62920 Cemetery Service Saturday, May 13, 2017, Rowan Cemetery 92 West McGuire Road Makanda, Illinois 62958