Ruth Eileen Hartgrove Bowling

Ruth Eileen Hartgrove Bowling was reunited with the love of her life, Jesse Bowling, on Friday, September 9, 2011, at Asbury Place in Kingsport.

Ruth was born in Kingsport on December 1, 1924. She attended Sullivan High School and Kingsport High School, where she was in the marching bands, playing the drums. Ruth loved music, especially dancing and singing; she once won a contest at the Popeye's Club by singing and yodeling to "I Want to be a Cowboy's Sweetheart." She entertained all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with "How Much is that Puppy in the Window?" Ruth enjoyed spending time with her Sullivan High School classmates; she passionately participated in several bridge groups in both Kingsport and WV.

Ruth and Jesse lived in Kingsport for most of their lives but also spent time in Indiana and West Virginia. After her husband died, Ruth spent the last years of her life with her daughter Sherry Cox in Kingsport, where she loved being "Nanny" and "Miss Ruth" to special friends and neighbors. She enjoyed sitting in the Ridgefields Commons Park, admiring the lovely sunflowers and gardens and visiting with neighbors. She was a member of Ghent Missionary Baptist Church of Ghent, WV.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Jesse; parents John & Sudie Durham Hartgrove; brothers John Jr., James, Freddie, Wallace, Donald, Bobby, and Jackie; infant sister Wilma Jean; and son-in-law Phillip Cox.

Survivors besides daughter Sherry are two sons: Jess Bowling and wife Barbara McMurray Bowling of Kingsport, and Jim Bowling and wife Molly Holden Bowling of Cool Ridge, WV; and brother-in-law Bobbie Bowling and wife Margrede "Tean" of Cleveland, OH.

Grandchildren include: Tracy currently in Afghanistan & Michaela Bowling of Powder Springs, GA; Michael Bowling of Prague, Czech Republic; Scott & Celeste Gamble of Columbus, OH; Ben & Nancy Gamble of Kingsport, TN; Nathan & Amy Bowling of Kingsport, TN; Steven Bowling of Fort Lauderdale, FL; Terra & Devon Smith of Loganville, GA; and Nicholas Bowling of Cool Ridge, WV.

Great-grandchildren include: Ellis, Jessica, & Thomas Bowling; Jillian Gamble; Blakely & Mattie Gamble; Jesse, Emily, & Elijah Bowling; Isaac, Ben, Jonathan, Kaitlyn, & Gabriella Smith. Other survivors include many special cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Visitation will be held at Hamlett -Dobson Funeral Home on Monday, September 12th, between the hours of 6:00-8:00 PM. Per Ruth's wishes, graveside services will be conducted at the Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson City, TN on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, at 10:00 AM, where she will be interred with her husband following the service with Rev. Doug Walls, of Ghent Missionary Baptist Church, Ghent, WV, and Rev. Donnie Brannen, of Calvary Baptist Church, Kingsport, TN officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons. Those attending the graveside are asked to meet at the cemetery at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be sent to Ghent Missionary Baptist Church, 139 Odd Road, P. O. Box 121, Ghent, WV 25843.