Mary Alice Berry Bowser, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother departed this earthly life Monday, November 20, 2023. Born September 23, 1946, in Brookhaven, Mississippi, she was the namesake of her maternal grandmother and the eldest of six children of Dr. John Calvin Berry and Mrs. Audrey Levy Berry.

Mary's parents were both educators, so education was a prominent aspect of her life.  They taught that education opened doors and aided career opportunities.  It was no doubt that her parents' commitment to education was an inspiration for her and became an important thread within the fabric of her life.

Mary accepted Christ at an early age and in her early years was a member of the Kynett United Methodist Church of Brookhaven, Mississippi.  She had also been a member of Adams Chapel United Methodist Church of Fayette, Mississippi and St. Paul United Methodist Church of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

In 1965, Mary graduated from Lidell High School (Jefferson County, Fayette, Mississippi).  She furthered her education and attended Alcorn State University. While at Alcorn, Mary flourished as an active member of the Alcorn State University Marching Band and Gospel Choir. In the Spring of 1969, Mary pledged her love to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated (Delta Epsilon Chapter).  The Sorority's roots are fortified in the equitable education of America's children, and this aligned with her career choice. In December of 1969, Mary continued the legacy of both her mother and father and received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education.

Mary dedicated her life to not only educating, but uplifting and serving others. After moving to Pass Christian, Mississippi in the early seventies, she met and married her husband, Mr. Michael Rodney Bowser.  They shared a fulfilling life and reared two daughters, LaSonya and Michelle.

Mary began her career as an elementary music teacher in the Pass Christian Separate School District. She worked as a music teacher at both Pass Christian Elementary and DeLisle Elementary Schools where she worked tirelessly to educate, teach, and expose her students to the transformative power of the arts. She used her skill and wisdom to excite her students' love of the arts. She cultivated their appreciation for the diversity found within cultures. Mrs. Bowser's passion for education developed and inspired her students in ways unimaginable, giving them the confidence to grow and be successful.

Mrs. Bowser was not only passionate about teaching music, she was also passionate about engaging her students in plays and productions. Bringing to life imaginative stories and real-life principles, Mrs. Bowser included history, diversity, kindness, and acceptance for all as her students participated in productions for every occasion including Christmas, Chinese New Year, Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving, and President's Day. When asked about her passion for teaching, Mrs. Bowser shared that she was keen on helping children who were shy and timid to become more confident. She acknowledged that setting high expectations (for herself and her students) was one of the keys to successfully teaching.  She encouraged her students to be the best version of themselves and to believe they could achieve anything.

Mrs. Bowser retired from the Pass Christian School District in 2005 after 33 years of service as an educator. After retirement, Mrs. Bowser continued to be actively involved in church and community activities. She was a dedicated and faithful member of the Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church for more than 50 years serving in various capacities within the church. She had been the program chairperson, youth leader, Beautification Committee organizer and chairperson, deaconess chairperson, pianist for children's and senior choirs, and secretary/treasurer of the usher ministry. Her recent roles included serving as the chairperson for the usher's ministry and the church's Policy and Procedure Committee. Additionally, she advised the youth ministry and had written and directed Christian drama presentations and Christmas Cantatas for the church.  Sister Bowser also served as choir director for Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church and Mt. Zion United Methodist Church.  During her time with the youth ministry and Goodwill's participation with the Shiloh District, she served as a Bible drill instructor. Under her leadership, the church's drill team represented the District at the National Baptist Convention and earned the first-place award.

If you ever sang in her children's choir or attended Vacation Bible School, you likely have a tender memory of singing one of her favorites, "Rise and Shine" and "Give God the Glory."

Mrs. Bowser served as a loyal Daughter of the Karun Court No. 89 and was a member of the Pass Christian Civic League.  She served on the Gulf Coast Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress Pageant Committee for over 25 years.  During this time, she mentored and guided young women in Christian values, public speaking, appearance, and social etiquette. She was also a former member of the Gulf Coast Community Action Agency Board of Directors and Head Start Policy Council. Mary was a co-founding member of Friends of Pass Christian Schools (retired teachers) and a member of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Mary was a founding member of her church's Disaster Relief Committee that was established in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. She was a board member, and one of the coordinators of the Volunteer Weekly Feeding Program (now Gone Fishing Ministries, Inc.). She also served as manager and coordinator for the Pass Christian DeLisle/Marsha Barbour Community Center and Building the B.E.S.T Community Board Member where she co-managed operations and assisted in developing and sponsoring programs for the youth of Pass Christian and surrounding communities.

Some of her most recent accomplishments include the following: NAACP Community Legend Award (2013), Pass Christian Live Oak Civic League Citizenship Award (2017), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority's Fifty-Year Recognition (2019), Community Volunteer of the Year by Lockett-Williams Mortuary (2022), and Juneteenth in the Pass Community Volunteer in the Nurturing Category (2023).

Mrs. Bowser was known for her caring and compassionate disposition and her beautiful smile.  She was a servant leader who held strong to Christian principles. With a determination unmatched, she was more energetic than most.  While Mrs. Bowser received numerous recognitions over the years, she lived and preached humility.  She had the innate ability to bring different groups of people together to accomplish a shared goal. She was a project manager.  If she identified or accepted a project, she worked diligently to achieve a solution or accomplish the task.  She was going to make sure the task was done.

In her pastime, Mary enjoyed interior decorating and decorating for special events. She used her creativity to highlight fun themes and was always delighted to see joy on the faces of her friends and family at the finished product.  In recent years, Mary spent most of her time volunteering, caring for and spending time with family, especially her grandchildren who were her pride and joy.

Mrs. Bowser will forever be a role model and mentor to many.  She was an exemplary representative of a Godly woman.  If there was an opportunity to help, family and friends knew on her they could depend. Having lived a life of love and service, her lifelong goal was to improve the lives of others.  Her personal motto was "If I can help somebody, as I travel along; if I can help somebody, with a word or song; If I help somebody from doing wrong, then my living shall not be in vain."

Mrs. Bowser is preceded in death by her father, Dr. John Calvin Berry; a brother, Bobby LaJohn Berry; a sister, Barbara Jean Anderson; brothers-in-law, Admiral Bowser, Johnnie Robinson, and Henry Anderson; a sister-in-law, Marcella Dawkins Swanier; and nephews, Carl Bowser, Sr. and Charles Bowser, Sr.; and a niece, Nate' Swanier.

She leaves to cherish fond memories, her supportive husband of 50 years, Michael R. Bowser; loving daughters, LaSonya Bowser Ashley (Randy), and Michelle Bowser Keys (James); four grandchildren, Rhayna Auriel, Mikhai Monroe, MaKenzie Marianna, and Isabella Symone all of Pass Christian, Mississippi; her mother, Audrey Nell Levy Berry of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; one brother, Daryl (Lure) Berry of Jackson, Mississippi; sisters, Patricia (Johnnie) Blake of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Cheryl Berry-Smith of Gulfport, Mississippi; three brothers-in-law Roland (Betty) Bowser of Natchez, Mississippi; Byron K. Bowser and Donald Adam Swanier of Pass Christian, Mississippi; two sisters-in-law, Gloria Ward Berry of Tupelo, Mississippi, and Beverly Bowser Robinson of Detroit, Michigan; as well as a host of dear nieces, nephews, family, extended family, church family and friends.

Our lives have been immensely blessed because of the faith, works, wisdom and presence of May B. While it is with a heavy heart that we mourn her passing, we do not despair as we have hope in our hearts, and we praise God for her life!  We trust God, and we find comfort in the knowledge that she is now resting in peace with our Lord and Savior.  We will miss her deeply, but her legacy will continue to live on through us and in us.  We honor our wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and aunt for a job well done. May our final music lessons be, "It is well with my soul" and "May the work I've done, speak for me."

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