Funeral Services for Joyce Bowman, Age 88 of Mountain Grove, Missouri will be Friday, September 26, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Mountain Grove (address below). There will be a private interment to follow at Hillcrest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Joyce’s name to either The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, 215 North Wall Street Mountain Grove, Missouri, 65711 or Wright County Friends of the Library ℅ Erika Martin 6199 Highway 95 Mountain Grove, Missouri, 65711
Gloria Joyce (Smith) Bowman was born August 15, 1937 in San Jose, California, to Anna Maude (Roark) Smith and Richard Howard Smith. She left this world peacefully September 16, 2025.
When she was very young, there were framed photos of our flag hanging in the family homes that were labeled “Old Glory.” When she was very young, she decided she didn’t want to be called Old Glory and chose to go by “Joyce.” She was always Joyce from that moment on.
Joyce graduated from Mountain Grove High School in 1955. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Southwest Missouri State College (now Missouri State University) in 1959. She earned her Master’s degree at the University of Arkansas in 1961. She also continued her education at the University of Missouri and Kansas University.
Joyce married Joseph Earl Bowman in 1960. They had one daughter, Leslie Anne, in 1963.
In 1968, Joyce moved to Webb City and began teaching Theatre at Missouri Southern State College (now Missouri Southern State University). During her tenure at MSSC, she was instrumental in starting the Children’s Theatre program which initially toured to different schools, set up mobile sets, and performed children’s stories for kids who might never have seen live theatre. Eventually, the program grew enough that entire school districts were being bussed in for performances at Taylor Auditorium.
She loved to host parties and would hold game nights for the theatre students and faculty that would last until sunrise.
No matter where she lived, her home was always a safe haven, for everyone.
Joyce was a devout Episcopalian. When she retired to Mountain Grove, she became Bishop’s Warden at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in 1986. She faithfully fulfilled those duties until 2016. In 1987, she was commissioned as a lay preacher until early 2024. She loved shopping for families at Christmas and supporting fundraising events for the church. Her sermons were always well researched and would resonate with the congregation.
If you knew Joyce, you know how much she loved to read! Joyce was the last local surviving founder of the Wright County Friends of Library chapter which began in 1997. In the early years, she used her shed to store their books. She was their photographer and archivist for many years.
Joyce was very creative and the consummate teacher. Her sharp wit, open heart, intellect, creativity, eye for beauty in everything, and devotion to family, friends, and causes in which she believed personified the true epitome of Christian values.
Joyce is survived by her daughter, Leslie Anne (Bowman) Ballew, her dear sister, Barbara Joan (Smith) Harker, her adored niece, Cynthia Lee (Harker) Vessey and her family – husband, Jonathan and sons, Julian and Sebastian. To her Church of the Transfiguration family, Wright County Friends of Library family, Foreign Film group family, and the huge number of devoted former students who have continued to keep her in their hearts over so many decades….. You are also family. She loved you all very much.
