Lisa Montgomery Bowling

Lisa Montgomery Bowling, a compassionate, outgoing, generous and selfless wife and mother of two, passed away on the afternoon of Monday, March 27, 2017 at the age of 52. Lisa was an accomplished designer, Atlanta business owner and active member of her church and community. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at 3:30pm on Saturday, April 15th at Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Decatur, Georgia. Lisa was born on April 6, 1964 in Fairfax, Virginia to Rosa and Bill Montgomery. She was the youngest of three children, and the family followed her father’s career with GMAC to many different states. Lisa graduated in 1982 from Upper St. Claire high school in Pennsylvania, and earned her degree in Industrial Design from the University of Cincinnati in 1987. She formed lasting friendships as an intern during her college years – especially learning to use CAD in Huntsville, Alabama and living with the Gavin family in Naperville, IL. Lisa chose to pursue a career as a tradeshow exhibit designer for a well-known firm. Her exceptional talent was recognized by Exhibitor Magazine when they featured one of her booth designs for Intel on their cover. As she gained more experience, her interests gradually shifted from design to production. She received an invitation to move to Atlanta to manage seven of the top sponsor hospitality venues at the 1996 Olympic Games. Afterwards, a previous employer asked her to stay and open an Atlanta office. When that company was acquired, Lisa chose a different path as an entrepreneur and event producer. She formed BlackSheep Productions in 1999. Lisa met Mark Bowling in February 2000. Mark was attracted to her infectious smile, her talent as a designer, her love for life, the way she cared for others, her entrepreneurial spirit and the boldness with which she approached life’s challenges. He had the opportunity to travel with Lisa for work and discovered the excitement of live event production. Mark introduced Lisa to his appreciation for Auburn University football, and she shared his passion …not for the game, but for the tailgating and halftime show! It became a ritual they shared with friends, family, and eventually their children. Lisa and Mark were married on February 2, 2002. Doctors informed the couple that they would not be able to have their own biological children, but that wasn’t God’s plan. On Christmas Eve, 2004, Lisa discovered that she was pregnant. Another blessing arrived in disguise soon after; Mark’s career took an unplanned turn after a corporate downsizing. Drawn again to the excitement of production, Mark officially became part of the BlackSheep team. William Bismarck Bowling IV was born in August 2005 and his brother Brooks Montgomery Bowling arrived 18 months later. As their family grew, so did BlackSheep Productions. Key team members were added to create a full-service event production company. Lisa formed lasting relationships with several top brands, and practiced servant leadership with her team. Although she thrived in her work, Lisa’s team gave her the opportunity to focus on motherhood and family. She was deeply involved in the lives of her boys, whether at church, at Greater Atlanta Christian School, on a baseball field or basketball court. Lisa’s talent was essential at work and at home. She designed the addition to their house and even built miniature foam-core models of the various options. In addition, her distinctive 1984 Alfa Romero Spider was a source of great pride and joy. Her father loved cars, and together they worked to restore this convertible before his passing in May 2000. Lisa ensured that the appreciation passed another generation to her boys! She was not just an active member of Oak Grove United Methodist Church. She allowed God’s love and grace to flow through her to everyone she met. She lived her life to be the physical hands and feet of her Heavenly Father. As she lived Jesus’ love for others, she drew people in, which partially fueled the growth of the New Hope Sunday school class. For Lisa, her friends were like family. She embraced life and everyone she met along the way. She went out of her way to greet strangers and was first to volunteer to host a social function. Lisa waged a fierce battle with breast cancer, and she fought valiantly. Through all of the many ups and downs, she always maintained a positive outlook and focused on the well-being of those around her. For those that knew her, the world will seem a bit dimmer without her radiant smile and jovial laughter. Lisa is survived by her sons, Bismarck and Brooks, and her husband, Mark, as well as her mother, Rosa, her sister, Kim and her brother, Kevin. The family asks that if you have any stories or photos you would like to share, please send to [email protected]. Cards may be mailed to the family’s home address. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Lisa's memory to Oak Grove United Methodist Church or Turning Point.