Virginia "Ginny" Owens Bower's Obituary
Ginny was born on January 27, 1945 in Natchez, Mississippi, and adopted on May 1, 1945 as Virginia Ann Owens, by Bill and Helon Owens. Ginny entered hospice care on Sunday, April 27, and passed away peacefully on April 29. The family recognizes the compassionate team at Alpha Omega Hospice and the caring staff at Cityview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Ginny survived a ruptured brain aneurysm 22 years ago, followed by 60 days in a coma. She recovered through months of rehab and physical therapy. She also survived several strokes. Eleven years ago, a vascular dementia diagnosis took her from Longview, where she had spent most of her life, to North Texas to live closer to family. She cultivated new friendships, while maintaining those relationships she had built over decades.
In 2021, she received a pacemaker that extended her life and kept her doing crafts, dealing poker, establishing libraries at two assisted living facilities, and reading the Bible to friends. Throughout her life, Ginny helped so many people as a social worker for the State of Texas Department of Human Services, and as an elder advocate until weeks before her passing. She was a strong woman of faith and personified her beliefs daily.
Ginny was an active member of the Greggton United Methodist church for most of her life and loved her new community at WestWind Christian Church in Keller. She was a long-time member of the American Business Women’s Association where she was honored to receive the Woman of the Year Award. She and Ed, her late husband, were actively involved in Citizens on Patrol, founding the Longview chapter. She was an ambassador and certified poker queen at three assisted livings, most recently at Ridglea Senior Living in Fort Worth, where she is greatly missed.
Ginny is survived by her beloved children, their spouses and grandchildren: Kelli Pickard (Sandy Edmondson) of Fort Worth and Alan Pickard (Michael DeDear) of La Quinta, CA, Max Pickard and Alexander Pickard. She is preceded in death by her husband of 23 years, Eddy Bower of Longview, her brother “Bubba” Owens, her sister Katherine White of Indiana, and her parents Bill and Helon Owens.
Ginny and her faith, love, and spirit are mourned by countless friends, loved ones and extended family.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 4, 2025. Services will be held in the Chapel of Rader Funeral Home at 10 am on Monday, May 5, 2025. Burial will follow at Lakeview Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to WestWind Church in Keller, Texas, the faith-based or non-profit organization of your choice, or dementia services.
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