Betty Barker Bowne
June 3, 1925 — April 4, 2017
Betty Jean Wight Barker Bowne
1925 – 2017
Salt Lake City , UT -- Betty Jean Wight Barker Bowne, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, daughter and sister, passed away suddenly at her home in Salt Lake City, UT on April 4, 2017 at the age of 91. Betty Jean was born on June 3, 1925 in Murray, UT to Henry H. and Edith B. Wight. She was raised and educated in Magna, UT graduating from Cyprus High School in 1943. She attended Utah State University graduating with a B.S. degree in elementary education in 1949. While in Logan and serving as president of her sorority, Sigma Kappa, she met and married her eternal companion, Douglas L. Barker who had recently returned from service in World War II as an aviator in the U.S. Army Air Corp. After graduation, Doug joined the Navy and became a Naval aviator while Betty became a Naval Officers wife which she thoroughly enjoyed. They had three children, Scott (Susan) Barker of Burley, ID, Sandy (Bill) Stapp of Mountain View, WY, and Linda (Ron) Edwards of Kaysville, UT who all survive her. Her beloved husband was killed on active duty in Japan in 1960 and for the next 12 years she raised the children alone, also earning an MBA from the University of Utah in 1969. In 1972, she married Leonard Bowne and they were together until his passing in 2004. She was a life long faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serving in a variety of callings. In later years she took an active role as a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Her life time career was devoted to education and until her retirement in 1995 from the Granite School District, she made many important contributions to the Adult Community Education Programs in the Salt Lake Valley. She is also survived by her sister, La Rae Jones of Evanston, WY, 10 grandchildren, and 24 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Monday April 10
th
, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. in the Salt Lake Ensign Stake Center, 135 A Street, Salt Lake City, UT. A viewing will also be held at the Stake Center from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to the funeral. Interment will follow the funeral at the Fort Douglas Cemetery, 450 S. Chipeta Way in Salt Lake. Services are under the direction of the Cannon Mortuary.