[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E209-E210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN MEMORY OF CORRIN FITTS BOWERS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 28, 2006

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, all South Carolinians 
mourn the loss of the late Corrin Fitts Bowers of Estill who was the 
devoted husband of the beloved Mary Eleanor Bowers who served with 
distinction as Office Manager in the Second Congressional District 
Office for Arthur Ravenel, Floyd Spence, and Joe Wilson.
  The following obituary ran in The State newspaper on February 23, 
2006:
       Corrin Fitts Bowers, 77, died February 22, 2006, surrounded 
     by his loving family. He was born July 5, 1928, in Luray, 
     South Carolina, to Grover Ford Bowers and Corinne Fitts 
     Bowers. He was the grandson of Louisa Johnston and Dr. Paul 
     Ford Eve Bowers and Francis Gray and Eugene deTreville Fitts, 
     all of Luray.
       He attended school in Luray and Estill, where he finished 
     high school in 1945. He attended both the University of South 
     Carolina and Newberry College. He was the owner of the hat 
     that became the Bronze Derby, Newberry and Presbyterian 
     Colleges' much contended sports trophy.
       He was a lifelong farmer who farmed the family land and 
     grew cotton, corn, peaches and watermelons. He served for 
     many years on the Production Credit Board in Walterboro. He 
     served as a member of Hampton County's ASCA as well as the 
     State Board under President Jimmy Carter. In Estill, Mr. 
     Bowers was the Democratic Committee Chairman for 10 years. In 
     1960 he placed in the ``Outstanding Young Farmers Award'' and 
     won the State Cotton--5 acre contest. He served for many 
     years on the S.C. District Housing Committee #2 as the 
     chairman. He served as the first President of the Estill 
     Jaycees and Co-Chairman of the 1964 Watermelon Festival, 
     which was held in Estill. Mr. Bowers was instrumental in 
     bringing astronauts Gus Grissom and John Young to Estill on 
     Mendel Rivers' Day. He was one of the founders of Patrick 
     Henry Academy, serving as the first temporary chairman. He 
     served on the board of Patrick Henry for many years and 
     remained a Trustee until his death.
       Corrin Bowers was a member of Lawtonville Baptist Church 
     and served as an active and inactive deacon there for 50 
     years. He taught Sunday School, Training Union and was 
     chairman of the Building Committee several times. Mr. Bowers 
     served on one pastor search committee and sang bass in the 
     church choir.
       Corrin and his family were avid hunters who loved to 
     entertain. He and his two brothers, Grover and ``Det,'' were 
     the Lowcountry jitterbuggers. A girl cousin once said, ``You 
     have not lived if you haven't been to a dance with one of the 
     Bowers boys.'' Corrin was a charter member of the Monday 
     Night Couple's Bridge Club for 56 years. He was also a member 
     of Estill Supper Club as well as the Estill Lions Club.
       Corrin Bowers is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary 
     Eleanor Wiggins Bowers; his brother, Grover Ford Bowers 
     (Macie); a son Corrin Fitts Bowers, junior (Sallie) of 
     Estill, daughters, Sharon Bowers Green (Roy) also of Estill, 
     and ``Liz'' Bowers Palles (Mitch)

[[Page E210]]

     and Graham Bowers Solana (Mark) of Savannah, Georgia; three 
     granddaughters, Mary Crane Palles of Columbia, Louisa Sims 
     Bowers of Estill and Mary Tippins Solana of Savannah; eight 
     grandsons, John C. Green (Deana) of Jacksonville, Florida, 
     Corrin J. Green (Hanna) of Columbia, South Carolina, and 
     Andrew N. Green, Mitchell D. Palles III, and Corrin Fitts 
     Bowers III, all of Columbia; Joe, Henry and Gray Solana of 
     Savannah; one guardian son, Thomas W. Folk, junior (Jan) of 
     Barnwell; two greatgrandsons, Patrick Bowers Green and 
     William Fitts Green of Jacksonville, Florida; four nieces, 
     Martha B. Simons (Paul) of Aiken, Laurie W. Hanna (Chris) of 
     Estill, Stephanie W. Bates (Rob) of Chapin, and Tracy Wiggins 
     of Columbia; seven nephews, deTreville Bowers (Polly) and Dr. 
     Ford Bowers (Susan) both of Chapin, South Carolina, Ransey 
     Bowers (Mary Wells) and Tison Bowers (Julie) of Columbia, 
     Bill Bowers (Val) of Savannah, Georgia, Grover Bowers III 
     (Derbi) of Okatie, South Carolina, and Bob Wiggins (Rachael) 
     of Estill, South Carolina; one brother in law, R.G. ``Bro'' 
     Wiggins (Kay) of Estill, South Carolina. First cousins, Betty 
     Fitts, Cecilia Baker of Estill, Mary Eleanor Rouse, Robert 
     and Mary Bowers of Luray; Paul Bowers of Allenda1e; Frances 
     F. DeLoach of Beaufort; Deloris F. Jenkins of Barnwell, SC., 
     Franklena Geiger of Atlanta, Georgia and Araminta E. Harris 
     of Salisbury, N.C. He was predeceased by his brother, 
     deTreville Bowers and survived by his wife, Evelyn Pendarvis 
     Bowers Kuebler. The pallbearers for Corrin Bowers are his 
     grandsons with his nephews standing nearby, in a group. The 
     honorary pallbearers include: Harry Hanna, Montague Laffitte, 
     Dr. Luke Laffitte, Clarke Baker, Paul Peeples, Dr. J.D. 
     Rouse, junior, Ashley Bush, Dr. Harrison L. Peeples, Lester 
     Cook, Richard Mixson, George Barber, Coy Johnston, Bill 
     Ratcliff, Bill Stewart, Clyde Eltzroth, Harold Mack, Bill 
     Sprague, Homer Peeples, Mendel Davis, Billy Wier, Billy 
     Yonce, Bart Waller, Randolph Murdaugh III, Lee Bowers, Karl 
     Bowers, Hughsie E. Long, Tony Reardon, Hugh T. Lightsey, 
     Damian Centgraf, John D. Carswell, his faithful employees and 
     his kind and loving caregiver Jerrod Steven Wilson. 
     Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. Thursday, February 23, 2006, 
     at 362 Wyman Blvd. in Estill, South Carolina and continue 
     until 1 p.m. Friday when Mr. Bowers will be taken to the 
     church.
       Funeral is 3 p.m. Friday, February 24, 2006, at Lawtonville 
     Baptist Church with Reverend. Dr. James Norris, officiating.
       Burial: Lawntonville Cemetery.
       The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials be made 
     to Lawtonville Baptist Church Parsonage Building Fund, P.O. 
     Box 1057, Estill, SC 29918.

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