Mae Marie Bowie

Mae Marie Bowie, at age 106 died July 3, 2023 at Sagepoint Gardens, La Plata, Maryland.

Born May 1, 1917, in Baltimore City, she was the daughter of the late Jacob Shives and Annie Warehoff  Shives.  At the age of two, she was adopted by the late William T. and Elizabeth R. Bowie of Pisgah, MD. She was a life-long resident of Charles County.

She graduated from Lackey High School class of 1935 as the valedictorian.  She attended Towson State Teachers’ College.  She chose marriage over teaching when she married the love of her life, Sidney Allison Bowie, to whom she was married for 70 years until his death in November 2007. She enjoyed family life, working in the community and church activities.  Her family and church community were her joys.  She served as Sunday school teacher, Sunday School Superintendent and President of the Woman’s Society of Christian Service in the Pisgah United Methodist Church. She was a member of the 2N1 Club in LaPlata and belonged to the Red Hat Sophisticatz. She enjoyed her flower gardens, watching the many birds in the backyard and “putting up the bounty” from the garden.

When the war on poverty began, she volunteered her services in the community.  She started out as an aide and teacher at the Head Start Center in Marshall’s Corner, La Plata; then became director of the Head Start Center in the Shiloh Methodist Church in Newburg, MD.  She worked in the program for 10 years. She served as a volunteer with the Board of Elections as a polling judge for the 10th district. She volunteered with the Charles County Schools in the reading program at Gale Bailey Elementary School.  She could always be counted on to solicit support in the neighborhood for the Cancer Society and American Heart Association.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers Walter O. Shives and Benjamin F. Bowie, her grandson Darren Bowie and her great-grandson Christopher Adams. She is survived by her half-sister, Mildred Shives Willett, daughter Gail Klares (Doug) of Lusby, son Warren Bowie (Jeanne) of Indian Head and daughter Linda Simons (Rusty) of LaPlata, five grandchildren: Lisa Wisniewski (Mel), Tim Klares (Michelle), Mark Johnson (Lenda), Suzanne Johnson, and Lauren Bowie, eight great-grandchildren, four great- great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral service will be held at the Pisgah United Methodist Church on Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 10:30 AM.  Internment Church cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Pisgah Methodist Church.

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