Bertie was born on February 18, 1921 to the late Charles Henry Bowman and Mary Frances Miles Bowman in Chaptico, MD.

Bertie was called to her heavenly home during the early hours of Tuesday, May 12th at her Lexington Park home. Along with her parents, Bertie is preceded in death by her devoted friend Edward Lincoln Welch; her sisters, Julia Conway, Annie Edelen, Agnes Marie Bowman, Madeline Bowman Reed, Mary Jane Whalen and her brothers, Charles Henry Bowman, Jr., John Walter Bowman, James Henry Bowman and Carroll Emmanuel Bowman.

"Miss Bertie" as she was well known throughout the county was a dedicated worker with volunteer organizations. She joined the NAACP during the early 1960's and over the years worked on many of its committees with well known local members. She was most widely known for her work with the Youth Council during the early 1970's. She was appointed as the Youth Advisor for the St. Mary's County Branch of the NAACP. She saw our youth going places and doing things that most people thought was impossible. Some of the youth would not have been able to travel to places like Kings Dominion or other vacation spots without the county "bending the ear" of many of our business owners or organizational leaders soliciting their support (of any kind) to ensure that the plans of "her youth" were fulfilled. Bertie also involved the youth in other actitivities where her plans sometimes encountered resistance from event organizers, the public, some parents, family members and even the youth themselves. A result of her dogged determination was the appearance of the NAACP Youth Queen and Youth Marching Unit in the St. Mary's County Fair and Veteran's Day parades. Bertie was truly a "Tireless Warrior" for the St. Mary's County Branch of the NAACP.

Bertie was employed as a nurse at the St. Mary's Hospital for nine years and St. Mary's Nursing Home for eight years followed by many years as a private nurse to the elderly and companion for the shut ins. Her well known laughter and funny stories brightened the lives of many senior citizens. She was a faithful and devoted lifetime member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Lexington Park, MD.

Bertie leaves to cherish her memory, devoted daughter Pat Louis of Lexington Park, MD; four grandchildren, Wayne Louis of Lexington Park, MD, Joe Louis of MD, Crystal Louis of GA and Rhonda Louis of Lexington Park, MD; seven great-grandchildren, Janaya Hamon Louis, Troy Barnes, Shahid Louis, Shaquita Louis, Armani Louis, London Louis and Senora Louis; one great-great-grandchild Troyel Louis and two sisters, Alice Bowman of Mechanicsville, MD and Mammie Baker of Charlotte Hall, MD.

Bertie was devoted to her nieces and nephews but held a deep relationship to her nieces Grace Clarke of Mechanicsville, MD and Catherine Thomas of California, MD and nephew John Bowman of LaPlata, MD, who were more like her sisters and brother. She also leaves a loving host of many nieces, nephews, relatives and close friends.

The family will receive friends on Friday, May 15, 2009 from 5:00 – 8:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, where Prayers will be said at 7:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 10:00 AM in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Lexington Park, MD with Fr. Jack Kennealy officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Aaron Veney, Roy Reed, Joseph Thomas, James Edelen, Alvin Whalen and Ernest Baker. Honorary pallbearers will be Carl Bowman, Sr., Jonathan Veney, James Mason, Eddie Bowman, Francis Reed, Joseph Wilson and Paul Reed.

Arrangements provided by Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home.