Jena Bowles
June 5, 1974 — November 29, 2014
Jena Marie Stephens Bowles was born to Jahton Thomas Stephens and Cathy Bradley Stephens June 5,1974 in Wenatchee, WA. Her brother Kelly was about 3 years of age and when they brought her home, he promptly told them to take "it" back he wanted a puppy.
Growing up, the family often moved back and fourth from the Puget Sound area of Washington state and Jackson Hole, WY. In the Summer of 1995 she met her husband, Aaron Lee Bowles, who was serving in the US Navy stationed in Bremerton, WA. A year later they were married in Port Orchard, WA on September 20, 1996.
During Aaron's time in the Navy, they lived in Port Orchard, WA; Kingsport, TN; New London, CT; Yorktown, VA; Chicago- Great Lakes, IL; Portland, TX; Virginia Beach, VA & Jackson Hole WY. Her favorite location was Portland, TX where she would often spend time at the beach picking up sea shells. Jackson, WY has always been thought of as "home" by Jena; often stopping by to visit her grandparents Thomas C. (Big Stephe) and Jaunice Stephens. She and her daughter Cadie decided to move to Jackson permanently in the Spring of 2008 while Aaron was out to sea. Her husband retired from the US Navy in 2010 and they have been together here since.
Jena worked with her family as a Batista in Port Orchard, WA, managed a Subway in CT, worked for NEX in VA, Starbucks and in the Reservations Department at Spring Creek Resort in Jackson, WY. She was active with Little League Baseball when Cadie was growing up. She had a passion for rescuing animals and a grief counselor, always taking up for the "underdog". Her hobbies included arts and crafts, crocheting, as well as training and showing her horse as a young teenager. She loved music, reading novels by John Saul and Anne Rice and watching scary movies. Some serious health related problems had her down for a while, but she was well on the way to recovery and had a good outlook for the future.
She is survived by her husband Aaron Lee Bowles (Jackson, WY); daughter, Cadie Vaughan Lynn Carter and her husband Dakota Hawk (Jacksonville, NC); her parents Tom and Cathie (Cat) Stephens (Jackson.WY), brother, Kelly Thomas Stephens (Austin, TX) & Cara (Strum) Stephens; paternal grandmother Jaunice Stephens (Jackson, WY), adopted sister Deborah Lynn Woodard (Cashmere, WA), uncles, aunts, cousins and dear friends.
There to hug her on the "other side" were paternal grandfather Big Stephe Stephens and maternal grandparents Richard and Patricia Marie Bradley.
Memorial services will be held at the Jackson Hole Church of Christ Wednesday December 10th at 4:00 p.m. officiated by Alan Bergeron, minister of the church. Visitation time and refreshments will be offered in the church fellowship room following the service. Memorial contributions/donations may be made to the Jackson Hole Church of Christ, earmarked Jena Bowles benefit fund should you wish to do so. The church P.O. Box is 1178, Jackson, WY 83001.
Cremation was done by the Valley Mortuary, Jackson, WY.
May Jena rest at peace now.