Karl Smith Bowers

COLUMBIA – A memorial service for Karl Smith Bowers, 70, will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, February 3, 2012 at Ashland United Methodist Church. Interment will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 3, 2012 in Fort Jackson National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, February 2, 2012 at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Irmo/St. Andrews Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ashland United Methodist Church, 2600 Ashland Road, Columbia, SC 29210 or to Camp Kemo, Palmetto Health Foundation PO Box 602575, Charlotte, NC 28260-2575 or to Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, 3000 South Beltline Blvd., Columbia, SC 29201.

Mr. Bowers was born October 13, 1941 in Estill, SC and passed away on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. He was a son of the late Kimmie Smith Bowers and Mary Virginia Shuman Bowers. Mr. Bowers was a member of Ashland United Methodist Church. The Estill native was the youngest magistrate elected in South Carolina, and served as President of the SC Magistrates Association. Mr. Bowers served as Chairman of the SC Highway Commission from 1974 to 1977 and was named Chairman Emeritus. He was later appointed as Federal Highway Administrator by President Jimmy Carter and served from 1977 to 1980. Mr. Bowers retired in 1983 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel from the South Carolina Air National Guard after twenty-two years of service. Following his government service, Mr. Bowers had a successful career in the private sector with Stevens and Wilkinson and Site Consultants.

Mr. Bowers is survived by his wife, Susan Davis Bowers of Columbia; sons, Karl S. “Butch” Bowers, Jr. (Julie) of Columbia, Timothy Blair “Tim” Bowers (Keri) of Johns Island, SC and Kelvin Neal Bowers (Michelle) of Myrtle Beach; seven grandchildren; sister, Miriam Bowers of Estill; brother, Lee Shuman Bowers (Leslie) of Estill; numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and sister, Rosalynd Bowers McGee.