Elsa H. Bowen

SOUTHBURY, Conn. — Elsa H. Bowen died peacefully in her sleep on April 7, 2020, in the Waterbury Hospital.  She was 98 years old.

Elsa was born in Arlington, Mass., on Oct. 26, 1921, to Hilma (Shell)  and Axel C. B. Benson.

Elsa attended The Chandler School for Women in Boston. Graduating with honors she went on to work for the director of the Boston chapter of the Red Cross and Boston’s headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America.

On Sept. 16, 1944, in  Arlington, she married her high school sweetheart, Gordon L. Bowen. In 1948, Elsa and Gordon moved to Hicksville, N.Y., and then in 1959, to Millwood, N.Y., where they raised their three boys, Richard, Carl and David.

Elsa and Gordon joined the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Pleasantville, N.Y. With a close-knit congregation, Elsa enjoyed being active there, becoming president of the women’s club and representing the church to the national Lutheran Synod Convention. In Chappaqua, N.Y., Elsa worked more than two decades for the Reader’s Digest Company as the executive secretary for the first vice president.

After retirement in 1988, Elsa and Gordon moved to Heritage Village in Southbury. Elsa joined the St. James Lutheran Church.

Elsa cherished her Swedish heritage. She was an active member of the Swedish club at Heritage Village and looked forward to celebrating holidays with the Swedish traditions. She volunteered for many charities and especially enjoyed her steady work with the Southbury Training School.

Elsa was predeceased by her husband, Gordon L. Bowen; and her son, Carl P. Bowen.

Elsa is survived by her sons, Richard of Southbury and David and his wife, Priscilla, of Salisbury; her granddaughter, Bethany, and her husband, Richard L. Turnure; Priscilla’s son, Jed Lewis of Norwalk, Conn.; her great-grandchildren, Charlotte Turnure, Ryan Turnure and Griffin Turnure all of New York City and Lakeville; her daughter-in-law, Pamela Lloyd; her grandchildren, John Bowen and Genevieve Bowen of Miami, Fla.; and her goddaughters, Elaine Peterson Foran of Hamden, Conn., and Patricia Jacobson Russo of Southington, Conn.  Elsa was also very close to Patricia’s siblings, Christina, Cindy, Nancy and Eric.

A memorial service celebrating Elsa’s life will be scheduled for when we can safely come together again.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Cancer Society or St. James Lutheran Church in Southbury.

For more information including a memorial update, go to www.kennyfuneralhomes.com.