Obituary of Rose Marie Bowker

Rose Marie (Ward) Bowker, 73, of Roosevelt, NJ, passed away on Thursday, December 30, 2021, surrounded by her loving family at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro, NJ. 

Mrs. Bowker was born June 27, 1948 in Princeton, NJ. She was the daughter of John Russell Ward and Jean Hutchinson (South) Ward. Rose married Jack Roger Bowker on January 18th, 1969, in Hightstown, NJ. They raised three sons, Jack, William “Bill” and Michael along with their granddaughter, Sierra. Prior to her retirement, she worked as a school bus driver and worked at Mid-State Filigree as an Administrative Assistant. In retirement, Rose made several road trips across the country with her husband to visit her children and grandchildren.

Rose loved cooking for her family, playing nickel dime card games and waiting for Uncle Butch's turn to play Acey-Duecy, going to Englishtown Auction, Columbus Flea Market, spending nights down at Seaside Heights eating meatball subs from Midway and playing the wheels at Lucky Leos. Rose relaxed watching “I Love Lucy” and “The Andy Griffith Show”.

Predeceased by her parents; and her two brothers, John Thomas Ward and Russell Bernard Ward; she is survived by her husband, Jack Roger Bowker, Sr.; her three sons, Jack Roger (Tara)Bowker, Jr., William “Bill” Russell (Christine) Bowker and Michael James Bowker; her siblings, William (Debbie) Ward, Robert (Mary) Ward and Dorris Ann Hannah; her grandchildren, Sierra Marie (Anthony) Bowker, Justin Robert and Makea Rose Bowker, Grant Alan Bowker, Kinnedy Christine Bowker, Madeline Renee Bowker and Mia Abigail Bowker; along with her four nieces and three nephews.

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., with a prayer service beginning at 8:00 p.m., at Simplicity Funeral and Cremation Services at Glackin Chapel, 136 Morrison Ave., Hightstown, NJ. 

A Funeral Service will begin on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at Simplicity Funeral and Cremation Services at Glackin Chapel. 

Interment will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hightstown, NJ.

Masks are optional for the visitation and funeral services of Rose.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Rose’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by visiting In Memory Of at inmemof.org.