Obituary of Jacqueline Carmen LaRose Bowen

Jacqueline Carmen LaRose, a beloved mother, grandmother, and dedicated nurse, peacefully passed away on April 1, 2024, at the age of 94. She will be deeply missed.

Born to Elzear and Sarah LaRose in Timmins, Ontario, Canada, she maintained her Canadian citizenship until age 85, as she was always proud of her Canadian heritage. Jackie loved to ice skate and was a skilled point guard on the girls’ basketball team at Timmins High School. She was also an avid sports fan, particularly fond of attending live hockey games, where she cheered passionately for her favorite teams.

In 1952, Jackie graduated from the Port Arthur School of Nursing and embarked on a career as a traveling nurse. Her compassionate care touched the lives of many patients across different regions. She met and married Herbert Grady Bowen in 1957 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Together, they raised three children: Michelle, Carmen, and Herby.

Nursing was Jackie’s lifelong passion. She dedicated herself to the well-being of others, working tirelessly at Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach, Florida, until her retirement in 1987. Her commitment to healing extended beyond the hospital walls as she tended to many ailing friends during her retirement years.

In her leisure time, Jackie discovered a new love: golf. She frequented the Cocoa Beach Country Club and achieved a remarkable hole-in-one. Golfing, swimming, and walking on the beach brought her immense joy.

Yet, her greatest love was her family. Jackie adored her grandchildren and cherished the moments spent with them. She was fortunate to meet four great-grandchildren, all boys, leaving a legacy of love and laughter.

Jackie is preceded in death by her parents, Elzear and Sarah LaRose, eight siblings, her husband, Herbert Grady Bowen, and her son, Herby. She leaves behind her daughters, Michelle Hutchins (Kim) and Carmen Mathews (Eugene), as well as her grandchildren, Jason Mathews (Monica), Danielle Malcolm (Ryan), Jacqueline and John-Gabriel Herbert Hutchins, and great-grandsons, Maverick Malcolm, Samuel Mathews, Nathan Mathews, Parker Malcolm. Her memory will forever be etched in the hearts of her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in Jackie’s memory to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, a cause close to her compassionate spirit. To donate via check please mail the check to "Orlando Health Foundation" or "Howard Phillips Center" at 3160 Southgate Commerce Blvd Suite 50, Orlando, FL 32806. 

May she rest in peace, and her memory be a blessing to all who knew her.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, May 31, 2024 at 9:30 A.M. at Florida Memorial Gardens, Rockledege, FL.