David E. Bowers

Published 6:26 pm Friday, June 13, 2008

David E. Bowers

David E. Bowers, M.D., FAAP, 72, of Athens died Thursday, June 12, 2008. He is survived by Betty Smith Bowers, his wife of 48 years.

Dr. Bowers was born on Sept. 21, 1935, in Birmingham, and was the only child of the late Earl and Gertrude Bowers.

He lived the majority of his life in Decatur. Before his retirement, Dr. Bowers practiced pediatric medicine for more than 40 years in Athens, Decatur and Fort Myers, Fla. For the past 10 years, Dr. Bowers practiced pediatric medicine part-time with Island Coast Pediatrics in Fort Myers, Fla. Upon his retirement, he returned to Athens. Dr. Bowers loved children and especially enjoyed spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren.

He was a member of First Baptist Church in Decatur and had served as a deacon and an usher. He attended the Sunday school classes of the late Dr. William (

“Bud” Bryan and the late Murray DeMoss. Dr. Bowers and his family attended medical mission trips to England and Antigua. Dr. Bowers had said that these medical mission trips provided some of the most rewarding experiences of his career.

Dr. Bowers formerly served as Chief of Staff and Chief of Pediatrics at Decatur General Hospital. He had been an Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. Dr. Bowers served as past Secretary-Treasurer of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and served as past President of the Morgan County Medical Society.

He was a member of the American Medical Association, the Alabama Medical Association, the Morgan County Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Bowers was recently recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics, where he was a Fellow Emeritus, for his outstanding dedication to the health of children and for his huge impact on the lives of children and teenagers for the past 40 years.

He was a past member of Decatur Civitan.

Dr. Bowers graduated, with honors, from Birmingham Southern College with a degree in pre-medicine and graduated from the University of Alabama School of Medicine as a member of the AOA, medical honor society.

He completed his internship in Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn. He then served as a Captain in the United States Air Force in Lake Charles, La., before completing his residency in Pediatrics at the University of Florida in Gainesville. While completing his residency, Dr. Bowers co-authored an article published in the American Journal of Cardiology on pediatric heart valve dysfunction and correction.

Dr. Bowers is survived by his wife, Betty Smith Bowers, daughters, Melody Ann Bowers of Fort Myers, Fla., and Stacey Lynn Adams and husband Walter Seth Adams III of Decatur; three grandchildren, Holly Ann Adams, Allison Lynn Adams and William Seth Bowers Adams, all of Decatur; and aunt Ramona Fowler and husband Earl of Orlando, Fla.

Pallbearers will be Ralph Huff, Dr. Paul McCain, Dr. Jolly McKenzie, Tim Douthit, Dr. Samuel Britt Owens, Dr. Earl Mack Rogers, Ashley McDonald and Hardy Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be John Braswell, John Butler, Dr. Lawrence Ford, Dr. Gerry Ellis, Dr. Steven Fletcher, Jim Hudson, Dr. Otis Kirby Jr., Dr. William G. Manifold, Lawrence R. Rutledge, Wayne Wales, Dr. William A. Walker and James King.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, June 16, 2008, at First Baptist Church in Decatur with Dr. Judson W. Hurt, the Rev. Roger Jenkins, and Dr. Steven Chandler officiating.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.

The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 p.m. Sunday at Roselawn Funeral Home.

The family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Decatur General Hospital Foundation, the First Baptist Church Building Fund or Hope Hospice of Limestone County.