Mary Lou Bowman passed away December 10th,2024 at Allied Center City Skilled Facility.

    Mary Lou, age 94 was born in Rummel, PA daughter of Dewey and Nellie Shaffer and the sixth of ten children.

    She attended Newville High School where she participated in band and was the drum major for the high school and Newville town bands.

     After high school she attended Harrisburg Business School and began working at a local law firm.

    Mary Lou met her husband of 73 years at a summer job in a tomato canning factory. He made sure the biggest tomatoes got to his favorite piece rate line worker. After marriage they built their first house in Newville, Pennsylvania. The story goes after helping shingle the roof the local fire company had to rescue her because she could not bring herself to descend the ladder.

Mary Lou left the work to become a mother and homemaker. After the children had grown she reentered the workforce as a factory worker.

   In her later years Mary Lou enjoyed gardening, chatting with neighbors at Masonic Village Apartments and spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

    She was a long time member and Sunday school teacher at Christ Lutheran Church in Kulpsville, PA and more recently St.Paul’s Lutheran Church, Dallas.

    Mary Lou is survived by three siblings: Phoebe Bear, Dewey Shaffer and Irvin Shaffer. Her adoring family : Kevin (son) and his wife Betty, Karen (daughter) and husband Steve Orlowski, grandchildren and significant others: Jason and Katlin, Adam and Tessa, Ned and Allison, Joshua and Kendra, Robin and Sarah, Taylor, Stacy and Shawn and Hilary. Mary Lou has ten great grandchildren.

    Mary Lou requested a private family funeral service. Details to be determined.

    The family appreciates and is grateful to the Allied Services Center City Skilled and Hospice team.

    In lieu of flowers the family has asked you donate to your favorite charity.