The News Courier will publish, free of charge, death notices including the name, age and city of residence of the deceased, date and place of death, and time and place of funeral service and visitation. Family members may express themselves in a eulogy, list survivors and give detailed obituary. The News Courier will accept these paid items from the family, funeral directors or other individuals. Paid obituaries may include a photo at no extra charge. For information, call Vanessa Byars at The News Courier, 232-2720.

Earl R. Bowers

The funeral for Earl Bowers, 96, of Athens will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with George Dudley officiating. Burial will be in Athens City Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home.

Mr. Bowers died Thursday, March 1, 2007, at Athens-Limestone Hospital.

He was born July 17, 1910, in Limestone County to Dorsey Bowers and Elsie Conn Bowers, the next to the youngest of seven children. He learned woodworking at the side of his father, a self-taught carpenter. He pursued his field of woodworking throughout his life and preferred to be known as “a furniture maker.” He worked for Chambers Lumber, where he specialized in designing and making house entrances. He taught cabinet making at Calhoun Community College for 27 years. Mr. Bowers retired from teaching other people how to work with wood, but he never laid down his tools. Most days, weather permitting, found him in is his workshop, where he worked up until the day before his final illness. Many people in Limestone County own pieces of Mr. Bowers’ furniture as well as smaller decorative items. He married his wife, Katherine, in the depths of the Great Depression and she preceded him in death.

Mr. Bowers is survived by several nieces and nephews; many close friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord from First Christian Church of Athens, where he was a member; many work associates; and many loved and cherished friends from the Senior Exercise Class at the Athens Senior Center.

Pallbearers will be Alan Bullington, Kimball Bullington, Stan Bullington, Chris Bowers, Jeremy Pendley and Clint Pendley.

Honorary pallbearers will be Howard Culps, Marvin Todd, David Bailey, Wayne Kuykendall, Marvin Garner, Ron Thomas, Glen Young, Dr. Tom Smith, Dr. James Smith and Billy Blackburn.

Frank Irwin Manker

The graveside service for Frank Irwin Manker, 95, of Athens will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Roselawn Mausoleum in Decatur with the Rev. Mike Green officiating. Burial will be in Roselawn Mausoleum.

Visitation will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Roselawn Funeral Home in Decatur.

Mr. Manker died Friday, March 2, 2007, at Athens-Limestone Hospital.