Bowler, Clara Mae
Birth: Monday, May 01, 1922 in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland
Death: Thursday, September 19, 2013 at the age of 91
Laid to Rest: Friday, September 27, 2013 in the Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
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Clara Mae Plater Bowler departed this life on Thursday, September 19, 2013 at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, Clinton, Maryland, after a good fight.

She was born May 1, 1922 to Elizabeth Earle and Jesse Plater in the town of Chesapeake Beach, Calvert County Maryland. The youngest of three (deceased brothers Alvin and Elzie Eugene), she resided with her grandmother and grandfather (Maggie and Reverend David Earle) until she joined her mother in Washington, D.C. as a teenager. She attended District public schools where she met her life-long friend Edith Tombs (for 76 years), who went to be with the Lord in May of 2012.

In her young adulthood, Clara met and married her late husband, Ernest H. Bowler of Gordonsville, VA, who passed away in May of 2001. This God-ordained union produced three children, Eurcelle, Ernest Jr., and Earl.

Clara grew in grace and was a dedicated member of St. Edmonds United Methodist Church in Chesapeake Beach, MD from a very early age. She and Ernest later joined Park Road Community Church in Washington, DC, where they both actively participated in various church ministries.

Clara was a devoted employee of the Federal Government for over 30 years, retiring from the Department of the Army as a clerk typist on March 5, 1978. As an employee, she made many friends, received numerous commendations for outstanding service, and had a reputation for being efficient, hard working and pleasant. During her early employment, she attended the School for Secretaries and Cortez Peters School for Typing, where she learned to type over 100 words per minute.

Some of her favorite pastimes included entertaining (she loved setting a beautiful dining room table), visiting family and friends, talking with people, reading the newspaper, watching sports, going on trips away from home, playing cards, dancing, riding out in the city with family while eating a large dish of frozen custard (her favorite all-time dessert), and playing the piano while trying to sing (she took piano lessons and singing lessons after she retired and would chuckle whenever she still made a boo-boo while trying to play her favorite hymns). She also took driving lessons late in life and could be seen by some flying down the city streets on her way to work at the Pentagon in Virginia with her hair flying in the wind.

She will also be remembered for being God-fearing, kind, outgoing, generous, honest, a servant to the sick and needy, and having a larger than life persona. Being as full of life as she was, needless to say, it cramped her style to have been confined to the bed for the past five years.

She is survived by one daughter, Eurcelle Aurita Lewis, two sons, Ernest Hastings. Jr. (Lillian) and Earl Avery (Carolyn); grandchildren Jocelyn Berthay, Joseph Lewis Jr., Eric Bowler and April Bowler; nine great grandchildren and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Arrangements provided by Sewell Funeral Home.
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