HOMEGOING SERVICES FOR MR. WILLIAM MEANS BOWLING "I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith; Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge, shall give me at that day. II Timothy 4:7-8 MONDAY, MARCH 27,2006 12:00 NOON ALLEN TEMPLE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 109 GREEN AVENUE GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA REV. CAESAR R. RICHBURG, PASTOR, OFFICIATING
ORDER OF SERVICE Prelude Ms. Jackie Goggins Medley of Hymns "Blessed Assurance" - YieldNot To Temptations", "Abide With Me" "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" The Processional. The Doxology..."Praise Gad From Whom All Blessings Flow" The Call To Worship The Praise Hymn... "AllHailThe Power" The Invocation... Rev. Caesar R. Richburg Chant....."He Is Lord" The Liturgy of the Word The Old Testament...Psalm 23...Rev. James Speed, Sr. Pastor, Mt. Zion AMEC, Greenwood, SC The Epistle...Romans 8:37-39...Rev. Gregory Singleton Pastor, Pine Grove AMEC, Hodges, SC The Gospel...Matthew 5:1-16...Rev. Milas Officer, Sr. Pastor, Asbury Memorial Baptist Church, Anderson, SC The Ministry of Music... Alien Temple Combined Choir "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" The Celebratory Reflections of Life... Mr. John W. Lykes, Church Attorney Theo W. Mitchell, Friend of the Family Sister Winifred A. Lykes, Friend and Neighbor Mr. Spencer Bennett, Club Esquire The Medley of Songs...Angela Pea Stroble "How Great Thou Art" "Precious Lard" "Amasyng Grace" The Word...Pastor Caesar R. Richburg The Hymn of Celebration... The Combined Choir "It Is Well" The Closing Prayer...Pastor Caesar R. Richburg Recessional.,,. ::.. INTERMENT. : COMMITTAL/PRAYER/BENEDICTION GREENVILLE MEMORIAL GARDENS HIGHWAY 25 SOUTH PIEDMONT, SOUTH CAROLINA
OBITUARY William Means Bowling made his homegoing de parture on March 21, 2006. He was born in Greenville, South Carolina on September 22, 1913. William Means Bowling was the son of the late Eugene Mills Bowling and Ella Mae Burgess Bowling. Means Bowling attended elementary school in Greenville County. Means also was a graduate of the first graduating class of Sterling High School in 1930. Means received his Bachelor of Science degree from South Caro lina State College in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He con tinued his studies at Furman University s Graduate School. He was a life-long educator with Greenville County School District where he taught many years at Sullivan Ele mentary School. Upon integration of the School District, Means was reassigned to League Middle School where he taught science. Many students fondly remember Means fatherly advice and counsel. William Means Bowling was a part of what news commentator Tom Brokaw describes as "The Greatest Gen eration," and served in the U.S. Army and participated in combat in Europe. He received 2 Bronze Stars, a Good Con duct Medal, and a World War II Victory Medal. Means was assigned as a Staff Sergeant to 92nd Buffalo Division of Ser vice Battery 597th Field Artillery Battalion. He was a member and faithful servant of Alien Tem ple AME Church for 85 years. He participated in many church activities: the Allenites, the Youth Drama Organiza tion, the ACE League, the Lay Organization, the Sunshine Club, and the Church Finance Committee. He also served as a church Steward, the Church Secretary, and pianist for the Junior Choir.
Means participated in many civic activities: the NAACP, the Democratic Party and the Y-Teens. As a Y-Teen Leader, Means instructed many young persons about Jazz and Dancing. Means was a Charter member of the World War II Memorial Soci ety. He was a past President of Club Esquire, and served as former Basileus of the Phi Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. in Greenville and Xi Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. at South Carolina State University. Means was an eminent bridge enthusiast whose knowl edge, expertise, and materials were invaluable assets to the Black bridge-playing community. He was advisor, teacher, mentor and friend to the Nicholtown Center Bridge Club, which under his tute lage, became the first-ever predominately Black duplicate bridge club in South Carolina affiliated with the national organization, The American Contract Bridge League. William Means Bowling was the last surviving member of his immediate family. Means was preceded in death by his be loved wife, Jenelle Brier Bowling, a daughter Patricia Bowling who died in infancy, his parents, three brothers, Timothy Mills Bowling, Eugene Burgess Bowling, and David F. Bowling, two sisters Carrie Mae Bowling and Gwendolyn Bowling Lawton. Left to mourn are his beloved daughter, Wilhelmena Eliza beth Bowling-Smith, (Fletcher) Smith, and two grandsons, Fletcher Nathaniel Smith III, and William Louis Smith of Greenville, South Carolina; four devoted nephews, Samuel Henry Lawton, Jr., William Means (Audrie) Lawton of Houston, Texas, Timothy Bowling of Southfield, Michigan and Dr. Henry T. (Janice) Marshall, Jr. of Columbia, South Carolina; grand-niece, Audrie (Christopher) Jolivette of Houston,Texas; three nieces, Lorraine Marshall, and Henrietta (Edward) Bynum of Columbia, South Carolina, Gwendolyn Clark of Aberdeen, Maryland; greatnieces, and great-nephews, and a host of other family and friends.
IF If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you But make allowance for their doubting too, If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don t deal in lies, Or being hated, don t give way to hating, And yet don t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream-and not make dreams your master, If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it all on one turn ofpitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so bold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!" If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can bun you; If all men count with you, but none too much, If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that s in it, And-whicb is more-you ll be a Man, my son! -Rudyard Kipling ACKNOWLEDGMENT We are grateful for the many acts of kindness and love shared with us during our time of bereavement. Your kindness will forever be remem bered. The family
HONORARY FLOWER ATTENDANTS Eight-Thirty Bridge Club Nicholtown Center Duplicate Bridge Club FLOWER ATTENDANTS.. The Stewardess Board.. ;,, Ms. Angela Pea Stroble Mrs. Yvonne Galadima ; - s, Mrs. Deborah Gourdin HONORARY PALL BEARERS Men of Club Esquire Omega Phi Psi Fraternity, Inc. Mr. Raymond Chapman Mr. Robert Williams PALLBEARERS The Senior Board of Trustees of Alien Temple AMEC Nephews Please be advised that the Greenville County Sheriffs Department and the City of Greenville Police Department no longer provide escort services for funeral processions. Therefore all drivers should obey traffic signals. Persons who are not riding in the funeral home limousines should meet the family at the cemetery. Services Entrusted to Watkins, Garrett & Woods Mortuary 1011 Augusta Street Greenville, SC 29605 (864) 242-1144 J.C. Moore Branch 606 \V. Main Street Easley, SC 29640 (864)859-5811