Carolyn Barker Bowen died at her home on August 9, 2017 surrounded by her family. Carolyn was born in Beaufort, SC on April 2, 1930, the daughter of Lewis Carroll Barker and Martha Katherine Bexley Barker. Her family moved to Charleston and she finished Memminger High School Class of 1947. She entered the College of Charleston and was the second honor graduate, Class of 1951. Carolyn majored in French and did graduate work at Emory University.

Carolyn met Jackson Edward Bowen in Atlanta, GA in May 1952 on a blind date. They fell in love and were married at Citadel Square Baptist Church in Charleston on January 1, 1953. Jack said he "wanted to start the New Year right". Their marriage lasted for 64 years, until her death. Jack said "he had almost gotten use to her"!

Jack worked for Southern Bell Telephone and was transferred to many locations. Carolyn was a school teacher and taught at several schools including Greenville Junior High, Columbia High, Denmark High, Belton High, and North Charleston High. She gave up teaching to become a wonderful mother to three children. In the early 1970s, she went into the real estate profession working for Bob Capes Realtors then formed her own Company with Glenna Ackerman as partners – one of the first women owned real estate companies in Columbia. Carolyn was very successful and then retired in the early 1990s to spend time with Jack.

Carolyn loved children, art, music, cooking, her church (First Presbyterian Church) and spending time with her friends and family. She was known for her thoughtfulness, quick wit, good sense of humor and her love of correct grammar! We hope she doesn't read this.

We would like to especially thank Dottie Davis for helping Carolyn and being such a good friend to both Carolyn and Jack for the last three years. She was a true gift to us!

She is survived by her husband, Jack Bowen; daughter, Brenda J. Bowen of Columbia, SC; and son, Dr. Richard L. Bowen of Charleston, SC. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Joyce Carolyn Bowen in 1965. She has five wonderful grandchildren who she will truly miss: Annalise, Coles, Devon, Jackson and Laird Bowen.

Mrs. Bowen's funeral service will be held 12 o'clock, Saturday, August 12th at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia with Dr. Derek W. H. Thomas officiating. Interment will follow in Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 o'clock, Friday evening at the funeral home.