Susan Dehart Bowles
Susan “Sue” DeHart Bowles, age 63, went home to lead the heavenly choir on Sunday, April 23, 2023.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Marlene Ellis DeHart; and father, Herman Anderson DeHart.
She leaves behind her legacy made up of her husband, William Corbin Bowles; daughter, Courtney Suzanne Bowles; son, Christopher William Bowles; and grandson, Elijah Graham Bowles. She is also survived by her step-mom, Joyce Underwood DeHart; brothers, Duane (Mary Lou) DeHart and Robert (Peggy) Underwood; and nieces and nephews, Taylor (Kayla) DeHart, Claire (Brandon) Kavalok, and Kelsey and Wesley Underwood. She also leaves behind countless other school and church friends made through the years as well as thousands of students with whom she shared her love of music.
Throughout her life, when she was not teaching or singing, she loved spending time with her husband watching Nationals baseball, UVA basketball, and Redskins football. She loved to spend time with her family as well as her beloved animals, work in the yard, and craft everything she could with her Cricut. She taught for over 30 years with plans to retire this year and have more time for crafting, travel, and family time. She received several awards over the years including Teacher of the Year in 1997 and 2017. She had recently become a member of Grandin Court Baptist Church and previously attended Ridgewood Baptist Church and Bethel Baptist Church. She was choir director at Ridgewood for 12 and 3/4 years, played piano, and assisted in the adult and children’s choirs and summer programs at all of them leaving so many hearts touched in the process.
Services to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2023, in the John M. Oakey & Son Chapel in Salem, Va. The visitation will begin at 9 a.m., and the funeral at 11 a.m. Burial will immediately follow at Sherwood Memorial Park. Those she leaves behind would love to see you there to help honor and celebrate the life that Susan led. The family is asking everyone to dress colorfully (no black!) in honor of how colorfully she lived her life.
If you are unable to attend but want to show your support to her family, in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite organization in memory of Susan. Online condolences may be expressed at www.johnmoakey.com.
