Grandma Elsie Bowen, a Century of Love

Well  I thought there was something special about this day.  Felt something wonderful in the temple this afternoon.  Could smell raisin filled cookies in the house - and no one was even home.  Felt watched over all day today, more than usual.  Wondered why there was a soft touch on my face in a moment of drifting back over some sweet memories.  Looked in the mirror and traced the same laugh lines I had seen long ago. on a face from my past.  Then my brother called and reminded me that today would be our Grandmother Elsie Hunter Bowen 's 100th birthday!  And then I knew who it was all day long by my side.

She always called each of us her favorite Grandchild - she would send letters to us and write #1 Grandchild - and we all felt that we were exactly that.  She loved babies - she would give them butterfly kisses.  Each of my children have been held in her warm enveloping arms. She bought the little shoes for my children to be blessed in - My own Grandson Andrew was blessed with them on his cute little toes - she would have loved that.   Grandma was born January 20, 1910 in Ogden, Utah to Elsie Irene Staker and  Frederick William Hunter.  Our 4 generation line included ties with Mary Ann Leavitt -  which ties us to Governor Mike Leavitt.  She left us on June 30th, 1994. I remember watching all of her great grandchildren singing at her funeral.  She married her sweetheart Grandpa William C. Bowen on the 18th of April, 1929 and later they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on the 11th of February 1959 - the year I was born!  Grandpa left us before Grandma did - he passed away on October 20th 1979.  She spent many years alone after that - but put them to good use - serving an LDS Mission to South Carolina and sharing the gospel - one of her favorite things to do.  She returned home to a new generation of  grandchildren's children's children!  Grandma and Grandpa Bowen were from that rare generation of human beings that had to carved out a place in this world.  When I look at my brother Eric and I - I truly believe they left a tiny bit of them with us to pass on, we never want to let them down.  One thing that my Grandma Elsie would say - 'Please just always Love One Another' - and Grandma, we do - and we (6 children, 19 grandchildren and a million great grandchildren and many great great grandchildren...) remember and love, and honor you on this day.  Please pass the raisin filled cookies...  (I love you Grandma) (Hope you're hugging my little grand babies that will come to earth this year - tell them secrets to share with me ok?)  You will never be forgotten.