Janet Sylvia Bowser

Janet (Jan) Sylvia Bowser, age 69 of Cottonwood, passed away on Saturday, January 28, 2017. She was born to the late Fred Roger Abbey and Esther Alma Marshall-Abbey on July 4, 1947 in Los Angeles, Ca. The Abbey family lived in various cities and towns throughout Southern California while Fred pastored at different churches. Jan attended Chaffey Jr. College. Then attended Southern California College where she met the love of her life. On the 10th of May in 1968, Jan married that love, Leonard Dwight Bowser. The two moved to his hometown of Camp Verde, Arizona. After only being married for 3 weeks, Leonard was drafted into the Army. Following a year of intense training, Sgt. Bowser was shipped out to Vietnam where shortly after he was seriously wounded in service. Jan cared for Leonard from that moment on. Jan was always known for enjoying sewing and would make clothes for kids in church and her nieces and nephews. She loved to read books, especially love stories and collected a large library. A desire to be parents and a love of children led Jan and Len to fostering 9 children. They served faithfully in church, teaching Sunday School classes, ministering where needed and later serving as associate pastor. They attended Western Bible Institute together, where they both received Associate of Arts in Bible and Ministry. After 22 years of wanting their own child, Jan got pregnant. On the 8th of September, 1990 at the age of 43, Leonard and Jan had a daughter, Janel Irene Bowser. Jan thoroughly enjoyed being a mother and held that title as well as the title of wife, in the highest regard. Jan is preceded in death by her parents; her brother, John and her sister, Judy. She is survived by her husband, Leonard; daughter, Janel(Cody); three grandchildren; sister, Joy Abbey as well as numerous other family and friends. The funeral service will be at Camp Verde Assembly of God Church on Saturday, February 4th at 2pm with a viewing just prior at 1pm. Graveside service will be Tuesday, February 7 at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. Arrangements were provided by Westcott Funeral Home in Cottonwood and an online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com.