Life Reflections

Virease Lavone Bowe, 84 years wise, was born March 25, 1938, to the late Isom Sr. and Lunie Lee Jennings Keaton, in Crocketts Bluff, AR. She was the baby girl out of twelve children. Virease was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. Known to her friends as “Vi”, her children as “Momma”, her siblings as Virease, and her grands as “Granny”. She attended school at Poplar Creek and Emmanuel in Almyra, AR. She graduated high school in 1958. Virease gave her life to Christ at an early age and was raised in church at Poplar Creek in Crocketts Bluff, AR, under the late Rev. Anderson.

Virease was united in holy matrimony to Otho Bowe on March 18, 1962. In that union, three children were born, Otho Bowe Jr., Latonia Bowe-Odom, and Terry Bowe. In 1962 she relocated to Cleveland, Ohio with her husband and worked at Howard Johnson Hotel, and Suburban Hospital for 28 years. After Retiring from Suburban Hospital, she, worked as Data Patient Registration Counselor at University Mednet for two years.

She joined East Mt. Vernon Missionary Baptist Church in 1978, under the late Reverend Floyd Thomas. Moms served as a Deaconess, Usher, Choir member, and a part of the Women’s Committee.

She spent most of her time taking care of her husband and children. She enjoyed preparing family meals and gatherings and chauffeuring her children to and from school to their extra-curricular, and other school events. When her children became parents of their own, she continued the tradition of having family gatherings and meals and spoiling her grandchildren. She loved music, dancing, reading, cooking, and going out to eat. Most importantly she loved anything that involved her grandchildren.

Virease was the sibling, mother and friend that took care of everyone and made sure the family stayed together. She affectionately gave each family member a special nickname as a token of love. Boojack (Terry Bowe), Boo (Latonia Odom) , Carlanda (Carlin Odom), Mun-Mun (Monica Bowe) Heart (Cameron Odom), Poodie (Terry Bowe Jr.), Legs (Logan Odom), Starlanda (Sterling Bennette), and Waula (Paula Keaton), and Kai-Kai (Kaia Bowe).

Virease Lavone Bowe transitioned to her Heavenly Home on the afternoon of Monday, June 6, 2022. She is Preceded in death by her parents Isom Sr. and Lunie Keaton, one son Otho Bowe Jr., a grandson Terry Bowe Jr. She is also preceded in death by her siblings; 6 brothers- Isom Keaton Jr., Esper Keaton, Glisper Keaton, YC Keaton, IZ Keaton, and YZ Keaton; and Six sisters- Zelma Murphy, Emma Lee Whitfield, Maetta Stigger, Arzine Hatch, Arlene Keaton, and Paulene Earls.

Virease’s legacy and memories will forever imprint in the minds and hearts of her husband of sixty-three years Otho Bowe; one daughter- Latonia Danette Odom (Carlin) of Bedford Heights, Ohio; one son Terry Bowe (Monica) of Champaign, Illinois, Anthony. She is also survived by her grandchildren- Cameron Maurice Odom, Logan Simone Odom, and Kaia Madelyn Bowe. In addition, she has one sibling left cherishing her memories; brother- Elbert Keaton (Zenola) of Cleveland, OH; many nephews, nieces and a host of cousins, relatives, and friends.