The gates of Heaven opened and Doris entered peacefully from sleep on April 26, 2019. Doris was born in Oklahoma City, OK, on January 12, 1940 to Lewis and Virgie Bowlware. As the firstborn child and grandchild she had the benefit of being doted on by her grandparents and many aunts and uncles, especially after Lewis left for WWII in 1942 and didn’t return until late 1945. Sister, Donna, joined the family in 1947.
Doris attended Lee Elementary, Capitol Hill Jr. High and Capitol Hill High School. After her sophomore year, Lewis was transferred to Houston, TX with Sentry Insurance. They moved to San Antonio the next year, and Doris graduated from Northeast High in 1958. Lewis was then transferred to Woodward, OK where Doris met the love of her life, Bobbie Ray Smith. They were married in Woodward on August 12, 1961. Their only child, Shelley Rae, was born in 1962.
The adventurous family moved to the new town of Lake Havasu City, AZ where they lived for several years where Bob helped build the infrastructure of the new city. Doris worked for Valley National Bank and Shelley enjoyed the desert.
They moved back to Oklahoma in 1972 and Doris continued her career in banking. She retired from BancFirst in 2013. Doris loved meeting people and many of her customers became her life-long friends. Doris loved to collect things, especially pets and friends and she had many of both over the years. She also loved to shop, collect designer purses and jewelry. When mobility became difficult for her to shop, she relied on QVC. There was a never ending supply of beautiful purses and bling jewelry! Doris inherited her sense of humor and propensity to fall from her mom, Virgie. As Virgie would say, “We’re as graceful as a cow on crutches”!
Bob died in 2012, and when Doris’ health began to decline, she and her three dogs and cat moved in with Shelley and her family. The last two years of her life were spent around family and friends with an abundance of love and devoted care from Shelley, Mike, and their kids.
Doris was a long time member of Draper Park Christian Church, and recently of Living Waters Lighthouse. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband. Left to mourn her sudden, and unexpected passing are her daughter Shelley Miller and husband Mike; sister Donna Baker and Dale Hamblin; sister-in-law Joyce Handley; grandchildren Jessica Chitwood and Mary Murray, Joshua and Riley Vanover, Jonathan and Kristin Vanover, Jordan Vanover, Alex, Stormie, Samantha, and Angelrae Miller, Mike and Tara Ashford, Roscoe Mays, Stephen D. and Nikky O. Georgewill Jr.; great-grandchildren Liam Vanover, Jax Miller, Gabriel and Abigail Ashford; nieces and nephews Mark Handley, Tracy Handley, Cindy Stevens, Andrew Adams and their families along with many cousins.
Visitation will be Tuesday, April 30th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Moore Funeral and Cremation, 400 SE 19th Street, Moore, OK.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, May 1st at 2:00 PM in the Chapel of Moore Funeral and Cremation. Burial will follow in Resthaven Memory Gardens in Oklahoma City where she will be reunited with Bobbie.
Ladies, to honor Doris, please bring your favorite designer purse and wear your bling jewelry to her service, and everyone please remember to adopt a rescue pet.
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