Dr. William E. Bowlus

Known as Bill, he was born March 23, 1931, to parents Edgar Stanley Bowlus and Edna Mae Mock Bowlus in Brookhaven, MS, where his father was Superintendent of City Schools. Bill attended school in Brookhaven until June of 1941 when his family moved to Greenwood, MS where his father became Superintendent of Greenwood City Schools.

Bill was the fourth of four children: James Edwin Bowlus, Robert Edgar Bowlus, and Elizabeth Ann Bowlus Evans.

Bill graduated from Greenwood High School in 1949. While in high school, he was drum major of the band, taught driver education, and was photographer for the school yearbook.

For several summers, he managed the city swimming pool and taught swimming lessons and Red Cross Lifesaving after obtaining a Red Cross Instructor rating. He also became an Eagle Scout and was Junior Assistant Scout Master of his troop. He was given a drum major scholarship to Mississippi Southern College (now The University of Southern Mississippi) and began college in 1949.

During his freshman year of college, he joined the 313th Army Band. When he returned to The University of Southern Mississippi for his sophomore year, he was there two weeks when the Band was activated for The Korean War. The Band was sent to Fort Rucker for Basic training and afterwards, he was accepted for Officer Candidate School.

Bill was sent to Fort Jackson for non-combat school then to Fort Sill, OK, for Officer Candidate School for six months. He completed this and was kept as a Tac Officer. After applying for Army Aviation, his vision was determined to be non-combat, so he was commissioned to the Medical Corp as the Medical Service Corp’s Officer.

He was sent to Medic School at Fort Sam Houston and then, to the Medical detachment of Field Artillery at Fort Hood, TX. In October, 1952, he was sent to Korea and served as Headquarters Company Commander of the 25th Medical Battalion of the 25th Infantry Division where he received a bronze star.

He was discharged from the Army in September, 1953, and returned to The University of Southern Mississippi to resume his pre-med education. During this year, he met Anne Hollis Cooner, and they married on September 4, 1954, and both resumed their studies.

Upon completion of his courses, Bill received the Outstanding Pre-Med Student Award. He was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society that recognizes and encourages superior leadership and exemplary character. Bill was also a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

In 1955, Bill entered the first four-year medical school class at the University of Mississippi in Jackson and graduated in 1959. He interned at the University of Mississippi Medical Center from 1959 – 1960. Then, Bill did a residency in Internal Medicine followed by a Neurology Residency under Dr. Robert Currier and one year of Psychiatry.

Bill entered private practice in 1965 with Dr. Richard Naef. Dr. Naef was the first Neurologist in private practice in Mississippi and Bill was the second.

Bill was on the Medical Staff of all the hospitals in Jackson, MS. He served as Chief of Staff at Doctor’s Hospital and was on the Governing Board of St. Dominic Hospital and River Oaks Hospital. He also served as Neurology consultant for the Ellisville State School.

Bill, along with several Neurologists and Neurosurgeons, built the first Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center in MS in 1987. After 40 enjoyable years of practicing Neurology, he retired in 2005.

In 1968, Bill became interested in Quarter Horses, and he was the first lifetime member of the Mississippi Quarter Horse Association. Along with his daughter, Catherine, they competed throughout the United States winning many national and state awards including a Youth Supreme Championship and the Mississippi High-Point Youth four years in a row.

In 1970, Bill began his long-time hobbies of running and big game hunting. He hunted in Maine, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Yukan, Manitoba, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas obtaining many prize trophies.

Having always been a lover of animals, Bill has had many pets. He raised Boxers for several years. Along with his daughter Karen, they had several prized Doberman Pinschers that they enjoyed training and spoiling.

Bill has always been an avid automobile fanatic. In retirement, he became interested in purchasing and showing cars. His “true love” was the Corvette! He enjoyed participating with the Mississippi Corvette Club’s activities and their annual Mississippi Corvette Classic held each year at the Jackson Convention Complex benefiting the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi.

Bill was a member of the Mississippi Medical Association, American Academy of Neurology, American Medical Association, Southern Neurological Society, Central Medical Society, Southern Medical Association, and Mississippi Neurological Society. He was a lifetime member of the University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Association, the Ole Miss Alumni Association, the North American Hunting Club, and the National Rifle Association.

Bill attended Bible class taught by The Reverend John Ward of Grace Church and was a member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, James Edwin (died at age two with Diphtheria), and Robert Edgar Bowlus.

Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Anne Hollis Cooner Bowlus, his sister Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Bowlus Evans, his daughters Catherine Bowlus Hedgepeth, (Mitchell), and Karen Anne Bowlus McLemore, grandchildren Pamela Ware, William Mitchell Hedgepeth, (Lacey), and Mallory Anne McLemore, great granddaughters, Holly Elizabeth Ware and Rhysanne Faye Hedgepeth, and his two beloved cats, Oreo and Pudge.

A private family graveside service will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2020, at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland, Mississippi with The Reverend Dr. Ricky James officiating.

Memorials may be made to Community Animal Rescue & Adoption (CARA) at 960 N. Flag Chapel Road, Jackson, MS 39209.