Emma Frank “Frankie” McRae Bowers

Emma Frank “Frankie” McRae Bowers died Wednesday, April 5 at home after a brief illness.

She was born Feb. 7, 1929 in Verbena, to Alpha and Doyle McRae and graduated from Chilton County High School. She earned her A.B. in sociology and psychology from the University of Alabama in 1950, where she was a member of Delta Zeta social sorority and Delta Kappa Gamma Educators Honorary Society. She later obtained advanced degrees from Troy University and the University of Montevallo.

While an undergraduate at the University of Alabama, she met Bob Bowers and they married in 1950. They lived in El Paso, Texas and Wiesbaden, Germany for several years while Bob served in the U.S. Army and Frankie taught elementary school. Upon returning to the U.S., they lived in Tuscaloosa while Bob completed law school.

Frankie and Bob moved to Clanton in 1954, where she began teaching government, economics, sociology and psychology at Chilton County High School in 1957. She also taught classes at George Wallace Junior College. In 1979, Frankie was appointed principal of Jemison High School where she worked until retirement in 1987. She then served as director of the Chilton County Emergency Assistance Center in Clanton for a number of years.

Frankie was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Clanton where she was actively involved in missions, traveling to Spain, Ukraine, Venezuela and the Caribbean. She served on the Alabama Baptist Education Commission and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Alabama Women’s Missionary Union.

She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Colonial Dames and First Families of Virginia. Frankie helped found the Woman’s Study Club of Clanton in 1956 and was involved in many civic and social organizations throughout her life including Business and Professional Women’s Club, the Music Appreciation Club of Clanton, the Chilton County Historical Society, Chilton County Public Library and many other historical and educational efforts in the community.

She was one of the original trustees for the Partners in Enhancing Education in Chilton County and organized the first CCHS Juniorettes Club. She also volunteered her time tutoring adults and children for GED testing, transporting juveniles to psychiatric and counseling appointments, and organizing yard sales to offer free shopping for needy families.

Frankie’s contributions to the community were formally recognized in 1984 when she was honored as the Chilton County Business and Professional Women’s Club “Woman of the Year” and in 2008 when she received the Curtis Smith Citizen of the Year Award from the Community Intensive Treatment for Youth (CITY) Program of Chilton County and was commended with Resolution HIR403 by the State of Alabama House of Representatives.

Frankie enjoyed a variety of hobbies including genealogy, sewing, handwork, playing bridge, gardening, watching Alabama football, swimming and traveling. She and Bob enjoyed many trips across the Southeast with members of their RV camping club. She took great pride in her yard where many local high school students had their prom photos made.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Judge Robert L. Bowers; her daughter, Barbara Bowers Brewi and her husband, Bill; her son, Robert L. Bowers, Jr., and his wife, Kathy; and grandchildren Jessica Bowers Hopson and her husband, Josh, Jay Stauffer, Hunt Bowers, and Margaret Stauffer.

The family would like to extend special thanks to Southern Care Hospice and Frankie’s caregivers Nancy Dalton and Judy Holley.

Visitation will be Friday, April 7 from 5-7 p.m. at Martin’s Funeral Home in Clanton. Funeral services will be Saturday, April 8 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Clanton with interment at Chilton Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Frankie’s memory to the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) at First Baptist Church of Clanton.

Martin Funeral Home directing, Martinfuneralhomeinc.com.