LaCelle Frances (Livingston) Bowen

Entered into Life: January 23, 1945

Entered into Rest: June 19, 2025

LaCelle Bowen was born in Jackson, Mississippi, in January of 1945. She was a very active student at Moorhead High School, where she counted among her accomplishments being Salutatorian and Homecoming Queen. She loved playing drums in the school band and excelled at playing the piano, with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata being one of her favorite pieces to perform. She graduated from high school in 1963.

At Mississippi Delta Junior College, she was known for twirling the fire baton and performing with the school's dance troupe: the Deltettes. She received her Bachelor of Science degree (majoring in English) from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1967.

She married the love of her life, Clifford Bowen, at the Moorhead Baptist Church, in Moorhead, Mississippi, on June 22nd, 1968. They met in the 6th grade and were friends ever after.

Following the birth of her son, Cliff Bowen, Jr. and daughter, Bethany (Bowen) Miller, she returned to college and received a Master of Science degree with a concentration in psychometrics from Mississippi College. With that training, she enjoyed administering IQ tests to many, including family members and friends.

She worked for the Hinds County Department of Welfare and spent many years as an examiner with the Social Security Disability Determination Service. It was important to her that she did everything possible to assist those in need. She retired in 2004.

She was a long-time member of Parkway Baptist Church in Jackson (now Clinton). She sang in the choir, taught in the children's choir ministry and, for a time, played handbells. She loved singing and ministering on church choir trips with her friends. She experienced music very deeply, often brought to tears when overwhelmed by a beautiful song.

She enjoyed serving on mission trips, including one to Wales where she took part in refurbishing a church. After Hurricane Katrina, she traveled with a team from Parkway to the south Mississippi towns of Laurel and Gulfport to offer aid to storm victims.

She loved to laugh, listen to stories, and to tell stories --- frequently ones at her own expense, but too funny not to share. She adored her grandsons: Dalton James Miller, Peyton Livingston Miller and Jaxon Bowen Miller --- and they loved their "Monamee." She illustrated for them the importance of faith, empathy, heritage, fun, laughter, music, food, friendship, charity, curiosity, knowledge and wisdom. She enthusiastically demonstrated her love to family, friends and others.  She was kind, thoughtful, smart, funny, talented, giving and encouraging. When one watched the way she lived and loved, they saw the results of a life lived with, through and for Jesus Christ.

She is survived by her husband, Cliff Bowen, Sr.; her son, Cliff Bowen, Jr.; her daughter, Bethany (Bowen) Miller; and her grandsons, Dalton Miller, Peyton Miller and Jaxon Miller. She had many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, ten nephews and eleven nieces whom she loved very much.

She was preceded in death by her father, Suber Livingston; her mother, Annie Mae (Edwards) Livingston; her brother, Lowell Livingston; her sister, Valda (Livingston) Brown and her sister, Mimi (Livingston) Sharp.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 21, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home in Clinton, Mississippi. The funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. A graveside service will take place at Springfield Baptist Church, located at 3285 Springfield Road in Morton, Mississippi.