Bobby Gene Bowers

TO View Bobby's service, click the following link: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTcwNzQxOTE3ODI5NDc5MyZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==Mr. Bobby Gene Bowers, 89, passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, February 4th, 2024 surrounded by his loving family. Bobby was the youngest of four siblings born to Lester & Blanche Bowers. Bobby was born and raised on Locust St. in the small, working-class neighborhood once known locally as “Stump Town” and was a lifelong resident of Greeneville. Like many kids growing up in the 1930s and 40s, Bobby and his friends could not afford luxuries like sports equipment. When they played baseball, a bundle of old rags wound tightly in twine string was the ball (except for the rare occasions when they were able to snag a foul ball outside the stadium at a Burley Cubs game), a tobacco stick was the bat, and everything from folded cardboard to an empty coffee can became fielding gloves. Bobby honed what would become a powerful swing by spending hours and hours hitting pieces of gravel with a tobacco stick. When basketball season came around, the top ring of a busted fruit basket nailed to a pole became their hoop and an even bigger bundle of rags wound in twine string became their basketball. Bobby always took great pride in his upbringing and enjoyed talking about “Stump Town” with its hardworking families and a cast of colorful personalities that provided him with a seemingly endless supply of material for his entertaining stories. The lack of formal sports training and equipment did not stop Bobby from developing into an outstanding athlete. At only 14 years old, he was already successfully pitching against grown men in the very competitive Greene County men’s fastpitch softball league. Bobby attended Greeneville High School (Class of 1952) and began playing basketball as a sophomore after his postman saw Bobby hitting shot after shot on the makeshift hoop and quickly told the basketball coach that he better get the tall, lanky kid from “Stump Town” out for the team. The coach listened to the postman and Bobby went on to be the leading scorer and Captain of the varsity basketball team in both his Junior and Senior years as well as being named to multiple All-Greene County, All-District, and All-Tournament teams. Bobby also stood out on the baseball diamond for the Greene Devils where he also served as Team Captain as a Junior and Senior. In 2010, Bobby was inducted into the Greeneville High School Sports Hall of Fame along with his eldest son, Andy Bowers (Class of 1992). They were the first father and son to receive that honor.After graduating from GHS, Bobby took his talents to Tusculum College (Class of 1957) where he again went on to have an outstanding career in both basketball and baseball. Bobby was a three-year starter on varsity basketball teams that won the Smokey Mountain Conference Championships in both his Junior and Senior years. As a senior, Bobby was elected as the team’s Co-Captain and was named to the All-Smokey Mountain Conference Team. He was also a three-year starter on the varsity baseball team. He served as team captain in baseball and was named to the All-Smokey Mountain Conference team as both a Junior and Senior. However, Bobby’s proudest achievement while at Tusculum was leading the way to have baseball restored as a varsity sport after being dropped during World War II. As a freshman, Bobby organized a group of Tusculum students into a baseball team and then scheduled games with anyone willing to play them. As a result of his efforts, the administration of Tusculum College took notice and officially restored baseball as a varsity sport the following season. Bobby enjoyed the fact that reinstating baseball as a varsity sport at Tusculum has and will continue to enable an untold number of past, present, and future student-athletes to continue their playing careers at the college level. Bobby was inducted into the Tusculum College Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.After graduating from Tusculum with a Bachelor's Degree in Business, Bobby served in the U.S. Army at Ft. Jackson, SC where he helped lead the post’s fastpitch softball team to the Third Army Championship. After completing his military service, Bobby remained closely involved with local athletics. In 1957, Bobby was hired to coach the boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams at Camp Creek High School. He would spend five years at Camp Creek and his girls’ basketball team would be the first from Greene County to qualify for the state tournament. This achievement would influence the popularity and future success of girls’ high school basketball in Greene County.After leaving Camp Creek, Bobby served as the Director of the Greeneville Parks & Recreation Department for many years before spending one year as the Director of Parks & Recreation for the City of Maryville, TN. In 1971, Bobby returned to Greeneville and began a career in management with Metals Engineering Corporation (MECO) that would span the next 29 years until his retirement in 2000. Bobby held numerous positions with MECO and spent the last part of his career as the company’s Safety Director.Bobby was an outstanding player in the highly competitive semi-pro baseball and fastpitch softball leagues throughout the mid-1950s and 1960s where he was a member of multiple County & Burley League Championship teams. He also continued playing semi-pro basketball for the local V.F.W. team until the late 1960s. While still in college, Bobby began refereeing high school basketball. He would continue refereeing basketball for the next 30 years and becoming a highly respected TSSAA, NCAA, and NAIA basketball official until his retirement in 1986. Bobby was an avid and talented golfer for over 50 years. He built many, many friendships on the course over the years. Rain or shine, hot or cold, he and his friends still enjoyed playing multiple times each week. Even at the age of 89, Bobby continued to play multiple times each week until a little over a month ago.In 1990, Bobby married Ms. Sandy Masters. Sandy would be the love of Bobby’s life and was at his side when he passed on Sunday morning. Bobby and Sandy enjoyed the type of loving relationship that any couple would envy. Whether Sandy was cooking delicious meals for Bobby or Bobby was surprising Sandy with red roses, they each loved to make the other smile. They were truly a perfect match and loved one another deeply. Bobby and Sandy enjoyed being outside growing beautiful flowers and for many years tending a bountiful garden that they could share with friends and family. They enjoyed attending church at Mt. Pleasant UMC and serving their community. Ultimately, Bobby and Sandy loved being with each other. Bobby already had two sons when he and Sandy were married. Although Sandy is technically their stepmother, the boys prefer the title “co-Mother” because she has always loved and cared for them just like they were her very own sons.Bobby was a kind, honest, and humble man who rarely spoke about himself and preferred not to be the center of attention. Although he had plenty of accomplishments to talk about, Bobby preferred to compliment others and praise those around him. He greeted people with a smile and a kind word and never spoke poorly of others. Likewise, it would be a difficult task to find someone who would speak poorly of him. Bobby also loved to see people laugh. Friends and family knew that a little bit of good-natured teasing was his way of showing affection and making you smile. Bobby was a wonderful man who made the world around him a better place. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather and will be deeply missed by those who loved him as well as those who were fortunate enough to call him a friend.Bobby is survived by his wife: Sandy Bowers; two sons: Andy Bowers & Bryan Bowers; two daughters-in-“love” - Natasha Bowers (Andy) & Sarah Bowers (Bryan); two grandsons that he adored: Slate Bowers (Andy) & Nate Bowers (Andy); four special brothers and sisters-in-“love”: Charles & Marilyn Masters, Harold & Diane Stewart, Bob Stewart & fiancé Sandra Randolph, and Rick & Dimple Stewart; special nieces: Jeannie Smith & Jo Boles; and special friend: Larna Smith.Bobby was preceded in death by his three older siblings: Fred Bowers, Dorothy Weems, and Edna Smith, and one special pet: Lily Rose.The family will receive friends at Doughty-Stevens Funeral Home from 3 – 6 p.m. on Thursday and 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Friday.Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday in the Doughty-Stevens Chapel with the Rev. Melinda Sturm and the Rev. Sharon Bowers officiating. Interment will follow in GreeneLawn Memory Gardens.Pallbearers will be Andy Bowers, Bryan Bowers, Slate Bowers, Nate Bowers, Danny Bailey, Eldon Duncan, Sam Haren, and Jonathan Ottinger. Honorary pallbearers will be Bobby & Sandy’s Church Family at Mt. Pleasant UMC, Jack Kilday, Ralph Horne, and Bobby’s golfing buddies at Twin Creeks Golf Course.Read Obituary