Elise Bowman, 93 years old, presently of Chaptico, and originally of St. George's Island, St. Mary's County, MD. Born March 17, 1922, the daughter to the late George M. & Lollie Stephens Thomas.

Elise Bowman was the wife of LeRoy Wilson Bowman, whom she married May 30, 1971 at St Georges Episcopal Church in Valley Lee, Maryland. Mrs. Bowman is predeceased by one sister, Margaret L. Pringle, and survived by one niece.

Elise is the granddaughter of the late Margaret H. Thomas (Aunt Mag), Midwife on St Georges Island in the late 1800's to the early 1900's. Aunt Mag was the primary midwife to St. Georges Island's women prior to the building of the bridge connecting it to the mainland in the early 1920's. The one available doctor, Dr. Hooper Lynch, lived in Valley Lee. Aunt Mag would summons him for help and he would be met at Swann's Wharf and transported by boat to her side to assist.

Elise Bowman graduated from Great Mills High School in 1938 and from Temple Secretarial School in Washington D.C., in 1939. She was employed in Washington, D.C. as a clerk-typist until 1943. She then returned to St. Georges Island, where she worked as secretary to the County Health Officer in Leonardtown. In 1944 she moved to the Naval Medical Dispensary at NAS Patuxent River. She then transferred in 1951 to the NAS Supply Department where she remained until 1967. She then accepted a promotion to Naval Supply Systems Command, Washington D.C., where she remained until retirement in July 1973. She retired to Chaptico, St. Mary's County, MD.

After retirement, Elise returned to work at NAS Patuxent River in 1975, and retired a second time in 1986. Her career expanded 38 years, began as a Stenographer GS-2, developed to Management Analyst and then to Supply Systems Analyst. In 1970 she was promoted to GS-13 and classified into the "5% Club", recognized as the elite group of Civil Service women achieving this grade and above.

Elise Bowman served as Secretary/ Treasure of St. Georges Episcopal Church building fund from 1958 to 1967. During this time the historical church was restored, additional land was acquired and a hall and parish were constructed allowing the church to maintain its own minister. A brick wall was erected between the road and the cemetery as a buffer from increasing traffic.

Elise T. Bowman and her husband LeRoy W. Bowman were involved with defeat of the referendum for a petroleum refinery to be established in Piney Point, Maryland in 1974. The refinery jeopardized the environment of the Chesapeake Bay and the way of life for regional waterman and farmers and the beauty of St. Mary's County.

Elise was the Secretary/ Treasurer to the Historical St. Mary's City Coalition from 1987 to 1996. She was instrumental in organizing local interest groups and corresponding to Annapolis, to earn recognition for St. Maries City as a Historical landmark. The efforts of this Coalition were key to the preservation of historical landmarks, as we enjoy them today, in the founding mother county of Maryland. She edited a newspaper for the coalition to facilitate information and fundraising campaigns.

Elise was the Secretary/Treasurer and newspaper editor for the St. Mary's County Republican Women's Club from 1975 to 1985. She also enjoyed animals and the preservation of wildlife, dancing, reading, gardening and home making in her spare time.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St Georges Episcopal Church (William and Mary Parrish): P.O. Box 30, Valley Lee, MD 20692. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.