Alice Diane Perry Bowman

May 19, 1933-Aug. 23, 2023

Alice Diane Perry Bowman, 90, was born on May 19, 1933, to Eva Lanore Norris Perry and Verne Jerome Perry and left this earthly life on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023. Diane was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, and attended 5th Street Elementary and Las Vegas High School until graduation in 1951. She worked as an editor for the advertising section of The Desert Breeze school newspaper. She played the bass drum in the school band and marched in the Rose Bowl Parade in 1951. She attended Girls State in 1950 and was chosen to attend Girls Nation, which allowed her to visit Washington, D.C. Her summers were spent in Seaside, Oregon, where her mother owned a motel.

After graduation from high school, she attended the University of Nevada, Reno, in 1951-52 where she was involved in Tri-Delta Sorority. She became an English major and loved poetry, reading and editing. She was always copying and clipping quotes to put in her “notebook.”

After one year at college she decided to marry her high school sweetheart Melvin Bowman. They married in the St. George Temple on Sept. 10, 1953, and took up residence on the Manse Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, 65 miles west of Las Vegas. It was here that she learned to cook the best homemade meals, hot sauce and the many jelly and jams she was known for. She left a comfortable life in the city for a life in the country without electricity or other amenities.

In 1963 Mel and Diane moved their family to Las Vegas from Pahrump and Mel commuted to Pahrump each day while she got the children to school. She would get up each morning, whether it was 4 a.m. or 6 a.m., and fix Mel breakfast before he left for the ranch. During this time in Las Vegas, she was a great support to her husband caring for the children and attending functions, sometimes alone.

During the summers she found herself working alongside the kids hoeing weeds in the garden at Pahrump, mowing the lawn at home or going to Lake Mead to just have fun. She has been a great example and cheerleader for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Diane is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and fulfilled callings as Primary teacher, Seminary instructor, Primary President, Young Women’s President and Relief Society President (three times). She also served as a worker in the Las Vegas Temple.

In 1993, Diane and Mel moved to St George. During these years she made many friends and served in the Stake Relief Society and Nursery. This move allowed her and Mel to be closer to a cabin they had built near Kolob Reservoir. There they were able to spend the best of times with their children and grandchildren. Time at the cabin included teaching her daughters how to can tomatoes and make salsa and other goodies.

She is survived by her children Cathlyn Allred (Jeff), Washington, Utah; Brent Bowman (Ronda), Las Vegas, Nevada; Todd Bowman (Patty), Henderson, Nevada; Lisa Wootton (Barry), Riverton, Utah; Elaine Albright (Chris), Las Vegas, Nevada; 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, with an 11th on the way.

Diane was preceded in death by her husband Melvin Elmer Bowman, her parents Eva Norris Perry Bell, her father Verne Jerome Perry, her sister Mona Lanore Perry Sandorf (John) and her grandson Shane Bowman.

Funeral services will be Friday, Sept. 1, at 4 p.m., with a viewing at 3 p.m. and family prayer at 3:45 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel, 595 N. 2450 E., St. George, (South of Deseret Industries store)

Interment will take place in the Logandale Cemetery on Saturday, Sept. 2, at 10 a.m. Pacific time.

Arrangements are under the direction of Hughes Mortuary.

Obituaries are received from the public and are not the product of St. George News, its editors, staff or contributors. The matters stated and opinions included are the responsibility of the person submitting them. Obituaries may be submitted for consideration to St. George News via email to [email protected].

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!