TWILA EMILY BOWYER Jan. 18, 1931 – Aug. 7, 2024
Twila Emily Bowyer, 93, passed away peacefully on August 7, 2024, in Los Alamos, New Mexico. She was born on January 18, 1931, in Junction City, Kansas, to Virgil and Nora Longbine.
She married her high school sweetheart, Robert Bowyer in 1952 in Salina, Kansas, and went on to have four children: Clinton, Clayton, Carlton, and Constance. In the fall of 1965, Robert and Twila left their familiar home in Overland Park, Kansas and moved their family to Los Alamos so that Robert could pursue a new opportunity with Los Alamos National Laboratory. She had expected sand, not mountains and mesas, and found a need for jackets when they arrived in shorts. She quickly fell in love with the breathtaking scenery and culture of New Mexico and knew it would be their forever home.
Twila was a devoted wife and mother, who could do it all. From hunting game and angling, to bowling and gardening, she was dedicated and determined. She was diligent in keeping her weekly hair appointment, staying informed of current events, and showing patience with the Colorado Rockies. She and Robert spent many years with the Elks Lodge and enjoyed volunteering for their various causes. Twila was a beloved school bus driver with Los Alamos Public Schools for over 35 years, where she touched the lives of countless students who filled her bus each day. Twila became the proud grandmother of nine grandchildren and great-grandmother to her thirteen great-grandchildren, whom she adored.
She will be dearly missed by her family, friends, neighbors, and all who knew her. Among the lifetime of memories, we will especially remember her tending her garden, a copiously stocked fridge, her quick wit and sweet giggle, back scratches, and endless warmth and care.
She is survived by her sister, Joyce Detweiler (Larry); her children, Clinton Bowyer (Donna), Carlton Bowyer (Janell), and Constance Knapik (Kenny); and her grandchildren, Sean Bowyer (Noelle), Kendra Dugger (Jeromie), KJ Knapik (Sarah), Justin Bowyer (Lindsey), Wendy Perry (John), Rebecca Klutts (Tim), Mary Elizabeth Bowyer, Steven Knapik, and Alicia Bowyer; and several nieces and nephews.
Twila was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Nora; her brother, Duane, and sister-in-law, Mayetta; her devoted husband, Robert; and her beloved son, Clayton, and his wife, Kris.
A funeral service will be held on August 30, 2024, 11:00 a.m. at the Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. An open house will be held at her home in White Rock, 714 Kris Ct., 2:00-4:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Pajarito Environmental Education Center to celebrate Twila’s love of animals, nature and Los Alamos.