Becky Crissman
Cordele Dispatch
Cordele —
UNADILLA — True happiness is doing what you love and loving what you do. That could be why Eddie Lee Bowen has remained in the banking business for over 31 years.
Born and raised in Unadilla, Bowen was one of four children born to Loyde and Georgia Peavy. She enjoyed attending school and playing basketball.
“I also used to love to skate on the sidewalks when I was a young girl,” she said.
Bowen graduated from Unadilla High School in 1956 and married Larry Bowen in 1961. It was after her marriage that the small town girl left her roots behind to follow her husband, who was in the Air Force.
“We moved to Texas,” she said. “Most of his tour he was stationed in San Antonio.”
It would be over 10 years before the road would lead her back home. After their time in Texas, Bowen’s husband did a three-year tour in Japan.
While they were there, she stayed very busy, she says. She worked for a credit union. Because her husband worked in intelligence, his group often was reassigned together, so traveling wasn’t so bad for her.
“We were like a family,” she said. “We always made new friends whenever we were reassigned but we got to take our old friends with us. That was nice.”
Bowen’s husband retired from the Air Force in 1976 and the couple returned home to Unadilla. That’s when she began her banking career.
She worked with the Bank of Pinehurst and Bank of Dooly before coming to RBC Bank in Unadilla where she remains today. Bowen has worked her way up the ladder and now serves as a relationship banker. She assists customers with new accounts, CD’s, etc.
“I get to wear many hats,” she says. “And I love it. The most important aspect of the job is taking care of the customers. I am a people person and enjoy taking care of my clients.”
Outside the office, family and church are a high priority in Bowen’s life. She is actively involved at Unadilla First Baptist Church where she teaches Sunday School to 6, 7, and 8 year old children. She also teaches the same age group in Team Kids every Wednesday night.
“My family is also very important,” said Bowen. “I have six nieces and nephews and seven great nieces and nephews and I love spending as much time as I can with them. They are very special to me.”
Recently Bowen was honored by the Dooly County Chamber of Commerce as the 2010 recipient of the Delma Sangster Professional Woman of the Year award.
“I was very shocked and excited to receive such an honor,” she said. “I was also very humbled by the award.”
Bowen says she plans to keep right on doing what she is doing. Although her husband is retired, she has no immediate plans to follow him.
“I am going to work as long as I can,” she said. “When I do retire I just want to stay home and spend time with family. I have traveled enough.”
