Josephine’s Obituary Josephine K. Bowlby, 96, of Narragansett, passed away on February 11, 2019. She was the beloved wife of the late Robert L. Bowlby. Jo is predeceased by her seven siblings.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jo is survived by her eight children: Mary Ellen Dominick, Kathleen Bowlby, Robert L. Bowlby, Jr., Louis J. Bowlby, James P. Bowlby, Joseph P. Bowlby, Josephine A. Bowlby and Loretta M. Carlone. Jo is also survived by numerous grandchildren, and several great grandchildren. After raising eight children of her own, her home was later opened up to three grandchildren, Robert “Chip” J. Bowlby, Katharine Bowlby, and Patrick Bowlby.
Due to the hardships of single parenting, Jo helped to raise this second generation of children as she did her own, all while continuing to work her full time job at the Providence V.A. Medical Center commencing in 1977. Jo retired from the V.A. in 2010 after 33 years of service. Although she was a Philly girl by nature, her heart was won over by a New Jersey man, her late husband Robert L. Bowlby.
Jo was always there for anybody that needed her for anything. She put others first before herself out of love. Quite often Jo would ask those who surrounded her “what did you learn today?
” and said that you are never too old to learn something in this world. She enjoyed reading novels, especially mystery ones. After work you would find her with a book in her hands, and her trusty Manhattan drink, which she referred to as her “libation”.
Jo also loved any sort of court related television series, primarily Judge Judy. When settled into Rhode Island, Jo adopted the local Boston sports teams as her own. Her favorite being the Red Sox, especially Dustin Pedroia, whom she referred to as her “cutie pie”.
If a baseball game went into extra innings, one of her famous sayings was “My father always said, if they can’t win in 9… they don’t deserve to win”. Her favorite past-time was the art of conversation, Jo spent countless hours on the phone with those relatives and friends whom did not live locally to her. At the end of every phone conversation, Jo would exclaim “that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it”.
and bellow out a laugh. Jo spent her declining years in her own house as she desired. The last 100 days were made possible with the help of Hope Hospice, numerous outside caregivers, and family caregivers.
Family was by her side until the very end, just as she wished. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Humane Society in her honor.
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