Jessie Ruth James Bowdry, 65, of Clinton, Iowa passed away peacefully at her residence on September 1, 2013. Funeral service will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 7th, 2013 at Bethel AME Church, Clinton. A visitation will occur one hour prior to the funeral service from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Church and from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 6th at Lemke Funeral Homes - South Chapel (2610 Manufacturing Drive - west side of Clinton Lawn Cemetery). Cremation rights will be accorded with burial at a later date. Lemke Funeral Homes is assisting the family with arrangements.
Jessie was born September 14th, 1948 in Parkin, Arkansas the daughter of Dorthy Eskridge Teleton and Maud James . She graduated from Kilmichael High school, Kilmichael, Mississippi in 1967.
Jessie confessed her life to Christ at early age at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Duck Hill, Mississippi. She remained a faithful loyal member of Second Baptist church up until her Departure. She was a loyal member of the church choir and President of the women's ministry, serving weeks before her passing.
Jessie worked at John Deer harvester, retiring 2006 after 30+ years. She was very respected and loved by her peers at J.D. Harvester - she was known as the Yahtzee queen. Additionally, she fulfilled her dream of owning and operating a Soul food restaurant. She loved her family, and church family, very much and will be missed by many.
Jessie is survived by her step-mother - Leatha May James of Clinton, IA.; three loving children - Gerald Eugene Bowdry of Atlanta GA., Arica Latrice (Stephen) Jinks- of Clinton IA., Anthony Dwayne Bowdry of Chicago Heights , IL.; five sisters - Maudie (Leon)Walton of Savanah GA., Zelda (Eric) Collin of St. Paul, MN., Deloris (Ronnie) Pettis of Clinton, IA., Kathy (Joseph)Jackson of Clinton, IA., Helen James of Clinton IA.; eight brothers- Jimmy (Wanda )Hardwick of Clinton IA., Benny (Betty)Hardwick of Clinton, IA., Manuel James of Clinton, IA., David (Melinda)James of Clinton IA., Robert(Loretta )James of Richmond, VA., Robert Teleton, Charles Teleton, Ricky Teleton all of Memphis TN.; seven grand children and one great grandson.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, her parents and one sister.
Memorials may be directed to the family.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jessie Bowdry, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.