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Janie Lou Bower, age 84, of San Antonio, TX went to be with the Lord on December 12, 2010. She was born in Ringgold, TX on August 3, 1926 to Birdie and Johnnie Stilwell.Janie attended school in Henrietta, TX where she excelled in Math and English. She graduated from Durham's Business College where she studied typing, shorthand, and accounting. A brief wartime marriage to Willard Arnold, produced her first child, a daughter, Patricia Jane, who was born while her husband was serving with the Army in Europe during World War II. Employed by Southwestern Bell, Janie moved to Corpus Christi, TX where she met and married a young sailor, Ralph Garrett Bower, from Boerne, TX who had served in World War II and later in the Korean War. He was a Texas farm boy and she a country girl who grew up in a small Texas town just south of the Oklahoma border. They were both children of the Great Depression and their common backgrounds made for a successful marriage of 63 1/2 years and produced two daughters, Virginia Ginger Sue and Judy Elaine. Married to a career Navy man, Janie lived the life of a typical military wife serving as homemaker and mother who moved many times and experienced long periods of time away from her husband. Janie was an excellent cook who particularly enjoyed baking especially anything chocolate. She was a talented seamstress who made many of her own clothes as well as those of her daughters. She was also blessed with a green thumb and could grow anything but she was partial to old fashioned flowers with roses being her favorite. Following her husband's retirement in San Antonio and the marriage of their youngest daughter, Janie worked as the manager of the post office substation located in McCrelles Park Mall for more than 10 years until her health forced her to retire.Janie was preceded in death by her parents, her brother-in-law, Dale Bower; and her loving and devoted husband Ralph who passed away on December 18, 2009. She is survived by three daughters, Patricia Hale of Wichita Falls and Virginia Sullivan and Judy Fraga both of San Antonio; four grandchildren, Brantley Hale wife Denise, Kelley Alton husband Brett, Sheri Mummert husband David and Jennifer Sherman husband Chris; five great granddaughters, Julie Hale, Kaitlyn and Taylor Alton, Morgan Mummert, and Ava Sherman. A sixth great granddaughter is due to be born in the Spring. An only child, Janie was extremely close to her late husband's family: Stepmother, Dora Bower; sisters-in-law, Helen Hollis, Shirley Bower, Lori Carroll Marty; brother-in-law Jimmy BowerPauline, and many nieces and nephews. Eventually advanced age and poor health necessitated that she and her husband leave their beloved home and move into Olga's Home Care, an assisted living facility. The family expresses their appreciation to Olga Zamarippa for her kindness and loving care of both their parents and to Pastor Bill Shockley of Oak Ridge Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association in her name.

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Janie Lou Bower

August 3, 1926 - December 12, 2010