John Harvey Bowen, MD

John Harvey Bowen was born in Florence, Mississippi April 25, 1924, and spent his early life in Lamar County, Mississippi. Moving to Collegedale, Tennessee , in 1939, he attended Southern Adventist University. Drafted into the Army Air Force in 1943, he served until 1944 when he was discharged to attend Loma Linda Medical School in Loma Linda, California,graduating in 1948. His internship was performed in the service of the U.S. Navy Reserve at Portsmouth, Virginia, followed by a Radiology residency at Kennedy VA Hospital and John Gaston Hospital. He practiced briefly at Knoxville General Hospital where he met his wife Dusty, a student nurse. They married in 1953, the year he joined the medical staff of Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville, Tennessee, where he practiced until retiring in 1998. While at Blount Memorial, he served in various capacities, including Chief of Radiology and Chief of Staff. A devout member of the Seventh-Day Adventist church, he served two tours of duty as a medical missionary to the Bangkok Sanitarium and Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1961—1962 and in 1965, where he founded the Department of Radiology. He and his family traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and Africa during this posting. An avid tree lover, he was an active member of the Forest Land Owner's Association, serving on the executive committee, board or directors and a term as president. He was a charter member and elder of the Maryville Seventh-Day Adventist church. Preceded in death by his parents Drue and Lillie Bowen, brother DeWitt and sister-in-law Josie and sister Thyra Bowen Kiplinger and brother-in law Col. John Kiplinger. Survived by his wife Elizabeth 'Dusty' Rhodes Bowen, son Hamilton and wife Evans and son Jackson and wife Terry, granddaughters Caroline, Alexandra and Catherine, nephew Bruce Bowen and wife Truby and niece JoDee Bowen. A special thanks to his loving caregivers Brenda, Stacy, Angela, Robin, Diane and Carrie. He loved his country, his family and his church and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Maryville-Alcoa Seventh-Day Adventist Church c/o the John H. Bowen fund, PO Box 4128, Maryville, TN 37802. A memorial service will be held at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 20, 2013 in the Smith Trinity Chapel with Elder Ed Santana officiating. Family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Wednesday at Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of John Harvey Bowen, MD please visit our Sympathy Store.