Mary Bowery Obituary

KINGSPORT - Mary Ruth, "Mamaw", 91, of Kingsport, passed away on 12-28-2022. Mary Ruth was born on June 28, 1931, in Telford, Tennessee to Wallace and Mae McKee. During her early years she worked on the family farm. She attended high school at Washington College academy, where she was on the women's basketball team and active in the drama club all while graduating at 16. She then, at age 17, enrolled at East Tennessee State University where she earned her BA in Education. While attending college she met her husband of almost 70 plus years, Ronald Landon Bowery (RL). Upon graduation, she began her career as a teacher but soon chose to focus on raising her three children and to help manage the family business, Tri-Cities Trucking in Colonial Heights.

As a mother and young adult, she was on a women's softball team, a weekly bowling league and a member of Colonial Heights Baptist Choir. Mary Ruth always had a smile on her face, and her golden heart projected love and kindness to all. She is preceded in death by brother, Charles C. McKee of West Lafayette, Indiana and is survived by her husband RL; her (3) children: son Tim, daughter Karen (Eric) and son Wally (Tara); her sister Francis Miller and brother and sister-in-law, Willard, and Judy Bowery; brother-in-law, Ed Bowery. She has been a loving and caring grandmother of (8) and most recently an adoring great grandmother of 14.

The family extends a heartfelt Thank You to her friends and care team at The Blake in Kingsport.

If you would like to pay your respects, we will be receiving friends and family from 10:00 to 11:00am Saturday at East Tennessee Funeral Home, Blountville. Mary Ruth's funeral will begin at 11:00 with Pastor Gene Mermilliod officiating along with personal contributions from family. Burial will follow in East Tennessee Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations honoring Mary can be made to the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation.

Wife, Mom, Mamaw, Great Grandmother, sister and friend was very loved and will be dearly missed.

East Tennessee Funeral Home & Cemetery is honored to serve the family of Mary Ruth McKee Bowery.