SMSgt James T. Bowles

SMSgt JAMES T. BOWLES Brewer Community - James T. Bowles, SMSgt United States Air Force, retired, 83, died Friday, April 17, 2015, at North Mississippi Medical Center. A Brewer native, he was born April 21, 1931, to Carl Wilford "Billy" and Lottie Agnes Dye Bowles. He graduated from Shannon High School in 1949, he also attended the University of Connecticut where he studied Business Administration. He served his country from 1951 to 1974, in the United States Air Force where he was a veteran of the Korean Conflict and was attached with NATO in Turkey during the Vietnam War. In 1963, he served with Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and received the Secretary of Defense Medal. After retiring from the Air Force, he returned home to Brewer and worked many years with Ford Shoes in The Tupelo Mall and later Bowles Shoe Store on Industrial Road. He was a member of the American Legion and Veteran of Foreign Wars. He was, also, a lifelong and faithful member of Brewer United Methodist Church. Services with military honors will be 2 p.m. Sunday, April 19, 2015 in the Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues with Rev. Chad Bowen and Rev. Truman Thompson officiating. Burial will follow at Brewer Cemetery. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Dorothy "Dot" Bowles of the Brewer Community; three children, Jeff Bowles (Rebecca Benson) of Smyrna, TN, Charlotte Bowles Leake (Jim) of Newnan, GA and Steve Bowles (Deborah Walker) of Springhill, TN; two grandchildren, William Thomas Bowles of Smyrna, TN and James Thomas Leake, Jr. of Newnan, GA; one sister, Betty Kelly of the Brewer Community; one brother, Carl W. Bowles, Jr. of West Point; one sister-in-law, Helga Bowles of the Brewer Community; special friend, Wynelle Benson of the Brewer Community and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; and one son, Billy Wayne Bowles, who died in 1981. Pallbearers will be Gene Paul Kelly, Brandon Davis, William Bowles, James Thomas Leake, Jr., David Powell and Joe Buse. Honorary pallbearerswill be Holder Homan, Bobby Benson, Jerry Whitt, Bill Deas and Wayne Stanley. Visitation will be 5 - 7 p.m. Saturday, April 18, 2015 at W. E. Pegues, Tupelo.