- Date Of Birth: January 06, 1923
- Date Of Death: August 19, 2016
- State: Indiana
Upland: Dorothy Elnora (Penn) Bowerman, 93, formerly of Upland, passed away peacefully on August 19, 2016, at Heritage Pointe in Warren, Indiana. She was born in Spring Lake, NJ on Jan 6, 1923 to Ross H. and Beatrice (West) Penn of Neptune, NJ. She was a 1941 graduate of Ocean Grove High School in Neptune, NJ, and in 1976, she graduated from Monmouth County Vocational School District in NJ as a Licensed Practical Nurse, thereafter working at Jersey Shore Medical Center as a dietitian. Dorothy loved gardening, bird-watching, and preparing sumptuous meals.
She knew how to wallpaper and rewire lamps. She was an expert seamstress, making dresses, suits, dolls, and even her eldest daughter’s bridal gown. Dorothy also had an impish sense of humor, and kept her Indiana friends and relations in stitches without the use of needle or thread. She was an avid reader, sometimes finishing over 100 books in a single year. Her favorite book was the Bible.
She enjoyed the fellowship of friends at several area churches: Upland United Methodist Church, Westview Wesleyan, and New Hope Baptist Church. Everyone who knew her could see how her faith in God revealed itself through her positive attitude, serenity, and ability to overcome whatever trials came her way. Dorothy married Allan S. Johnson of Duluth, MN in 1946. Together, they raised a son and 2 daughters in Basking Ridge, NJ.
For a brief period, the family included Allan’s nieces Wanda and Connie Johnson, while their own mother was unable to care for them. Dorothy’s marriage to Allan ended in 1973. In 1978, Dorothy married Walter J. Bowerman of Baltimore, MD. She and Walter moved from NJ to Upland, Indiana in 1983. Dorothy was beloved by every person who spent time with her, and her family will carry her blessings with them for the rest of their lives.
Survivors include her son Allan R. (Cathy) Johnson, Tucson, AZ; daughter Donna L. Bisschop, Fenelon Falls, Ontario; daughter Debbra L. Nagle, Dimock, PA; sister Ruth Barton, Warren; niece Carol (Nate) Tropf, Upland; and niece Sally Barton, Richmond. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Marion Smith, and both husbands.
