Iona Bowyer

Iona "Oney" Bowyer, 1927-2017 Iona passed away early in the morning on 18 December 2017 in Waterford Township, Michigan at the age of 90, passing in her sleep as she wished. Iona may be remembered as a long-term member of the local service industry, providing service to customers across the past five decades at local businesses such as Wilkins Restaurant, Twin Beach Country Club, and The Little Brown Jug. "Oney", as she was commonly known, was born Iona Joyce Hammond on 20 September 1927 in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada, the first born of Harold Hammond and Marjorie Peacock, and the oldest of eight siblings. Iona followed her foremothers who were strong pioneer Scots and English women, dedicated to hard work and responsibility while helping others before considering themselves. Her approach to life was a source of strength and wisdom, always humor-filled and pragmatic. She married Arthur Richards Bowyer on 19 September 1949 and they came to the Commerce/Union Lake area in 1956, to establish a life based on hard work and support for their two children, Sally (Steven Chrisman) of Liberty Township, Ohio and Mark (Lori) of Taylor. She is also survived by her most beloved three granddaughters, Jennifer and Kristina Bowyer of Milford, and Kimberly Paulson (Brian) of Arizona, and four great grandchildren, Alysa and Ethan Fancher, Callan Bowyer, and Mason Paulson. She is step grandmother and great-grandmother to Neil and Jason Bartos (Jennifer) and his four children, of Taylor, and Owen Chrisman and his five children of Hamilton, Ohio. Iona was preceded in death by her husband in 1976, her father in 1959, her mother in 1999, brother Ronald Hammond in 2015, brother Orville Hammond and sister Carol Fowlie, both in 2017. Surviving siblings are Vernon (Dorothy), Gary (Maureen) and Paul (Shirley) all of Bracebridge, Ontario and Penni of Vancouver, British Columbia. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Marie Bowyer of Toronto. A bevy of 19 nieces and nephews who frequently called on her to provide that wisdom and strength for which she was so well-known recall Aunt Oney with love. Cremation will occur privately, with a Memorial Service in Michigan in January 2018 and interment at Kirk Cemetery, Muskoka, Ontario in June 2018.