Mrs. Marian Ann Bowser Godfrey

Funeral services for Mrs. Marian Bowser Godfrey of Baldwin will be held Saturday, April 20, 2019, at 1 p.m. at the Special Providence Baptist Church. The Rev. Paul J. Godfrey will officiate with the Rev. Carl F. Lewis as eulogist.

She was born March 5, 1945, the seventh of fifteen children to the union of Sam Sr. and Ester Jones Bowser. Marian answered God's call Thursday, April 11, 2019, at her residence surrounded by the love of her family. She suffered a stroke in 2014, and after a year of continued hospitalizations was returned to her home in 2015 and cared for by her husband and family until her passing. Marian was married to the Rev. Paul J. Godfrey.

She was baptized at an early age at the Special Providence Baptist Church in Baldwin. She was a faithful member of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church of Charenton, and also worshipped at Teche United Church of Christ in New Iberia; both served by her husband as pastor.

She graduated from the former Willow Street High School, Young Memorial Vocational Technical School (LPN 1970), and Nicholls State University Nursing School (RN 1980). She worked 24 years in nursing at Franklin Foundation Hospital, one year as Assistant Director of Nursing at Franklin Nursing Home and joined the staff of St. Mary Parish School System Nursing Department in 1996 until the time of her retirement in 2015. In all, her nursing career spanned 44 years.

Services for Marian will begin Saturday, April 20, with visitation and viewing from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church of Charenton. Viewing and visitation will later continue at the Special Providence Baptist Church beginning at 11:45 a.m. until time of service. Funeral services will begin at 1 p.m. at Special Providence, the Rev. W. J Otis, pastor. Interment will be in the Special Providence Cemetery.

Marian leaves to cherish her memory, her husband of 34 years, the Rev. Paul J. Godfrey; two sons, Courtney  B. Lyons and his wife Anissa, of Baton Rouge, and Jeremy Godfrey and his wife, Michelle, of Houston; two grandsons, Jaylen Christopher and Isaiah Paul Godfrey; three brothers, Andrew (Carol) Bowser Sr. of Franklin, Harold (Linda) Bowser Sr. of Macon, Georgia, and Gregory (Adrienne) Bowser of Baton Rouge; four sisters, Mary (Harold) Wiltz of Lafayette, Cardell B. Ina, Gwendolyn B. Maneaux, and Carolyn Bowser, all  of Baldwin; five Godchildren, Dell DeClouet, Wayne Logerman, Nicholas Maneaux, LaTrelle Stewart, and Jamira Mitchell; a special niece she helped rear, Teiylar Leon, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends. She also had devoted caregivers, in the last days, Kimberly Colon and Leona Wiley, among many others from Home Instead Senior Care; and devoted members of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church and Teche United Church of Christ, too many to name.

She was preceded in life's walk by her parents, Sam Sr. and Ester Jones Bowser; five brothers, D.L., Lawrence, Sam Jr., Daniel and Lionel; two sisters, Margaret DeClouet and Lola Logerman; three nephews, Jerry Paul Bowser, Donald J. Maneaux Jr. and Chad Maneaux; and one niece and godchild, Crystal Bowser.

MK Dixon Funeral Home is in charge of final arrangements, 337-940-9253, 211 Main Street, Baldwin, LA 70514.