Billy Junior Bowles, 84 of Magnolia Drive, Ripplemead, departed this life to his eternal home Sunday January 19, 2014 after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's Disease. Bill had just been released Tuesday, January 15, 2014 from Highlands Ridge Rehab after being there since the last week of October, 2013. Bill was born on March 23, 1929 in Montgomery County and was a son of the late Mark H. Bowles and Elsie Linkous Bowles. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Charlie, Earl, Minor, a sister, Mary Epperly, and a daughter-in-law, Joan Barker Bowles. Bill had over 40 years of service to the Virginian, Norfolk & Western and Norfork Southern Railway Companies. Bill was a Roadmaster on the Radford Division upon his retirement in 1984. He worked his way to that position having started as a water boy on the section crew of the Virginian Railway Co. Bill always provided for his family by working two jobs. After a day on the railroad he would work the evening shift and weekends at Pynes Store in Eggleston. After leaving Pynes Store, he worked at Akers Motor Co. in Narrows, and then Hendrickson Motor Company in Pembroke. Around the mid 60's, Bill founded Giles Auto Exchange in Pembroke which is still operated today by his son Billy. Bill loved to trade and sell. After his retirement from Norfolk Southern, he dealt in buying and selling old money. His hobbies in his earlier years were riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles and attending motorcycle races and field meets or the hill climb every Sunday outside of Princeton, W.Va. Today, Bill still has a motorcycle, a Honda which he rode at age 81 and received an award for oldest rider at a poker run. Bill and Hogie loved Nascar racing and having attended all the tracks on the east coast. Bill was a member of the Moose Lodge #1079 of Bluefield, Independent Order of Odd Fellows Wabash Lodge 189 of Staffordsville. Bill and Hogie recently transferred their membership from Fairlawn United Methodist Church in Fairlawn to the First United Methodist Church in Pearisburg. Bill was raised in Montgomery County, but has lived in Eggleston, Pearisburg, Marion, Fairlawn, Dublin and since September, 2012 in Ripplemead. Bill never met a stranger and loved to talk.

Funeral Services will be conducted, Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 1 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Pearisburg with the Rev Dr. Brian Birch officiating with burial following in the Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends at the First United Methodist Church Monday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. Thanks are extended to Amanda M. Sadler, caregiver for all the love and care she showed for both Bill and Hogie. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 400, Pearisburg, VA 24134. Obit can be viewed at givensfuneralhome.com.
Posted in Obituaries on Monday, January 20, 2014 12:00 am.