Jan D. Bowen

Everyone has a life story. Our mother had an amazing story of love, laughter, family, friends, a passion for painting and cooking and a huge heart for her animals. She loved her husband deeply, she loved her boys and her family, and all five of her grandchildren “to the moon and back” -- she told us. We all knew it. Her life was a wonderful adventure. The only flaw in my mother’s story was that it ended far too soon. She had more life to live, more grandkids to kiss and teach to paint, more laughter to share and more time to grow old with her soul mate, our father. It is easy to list the facts: Jan’s parents were John and Vera Dixon, she had two older sisters Joan and Jean. She was raised in Greenhills, Ohio. Graduated college from the University of Cincinnati. Married Stephen Bowen. Gave birth to two boys, Brian and Adam. Loved, owned and rescued many animals including Maggie, Misty, Sammy, Moe, Keeker and Lily. She had two daughters-in-law: Monica and Kristin. They gave her five grandkids: Liam, Colin, Fiona, Deirdre, and Ru. She was a small business owner her entire adult life. She owned three business: Leo’s Den, Village Crafters and Jan Bowen Designs. She was an amazing decorative artist for over 30 years and taught painting to 100’s. She was president of the Greater Cincinnati Decorative Artists Association. She also developed a passion for “real good cooking”, loved to go to the boat to gamble and play slots at the casino, and loved to sit out on her sun porch with her husband and she really embraced being a grandmother. She spent as much time as she could in her last year’s caring for and loving all her grandkids - who all know her as their “Mimi”. But more important than facts are the stories that make up a person’s life -- and Jan’s life is rich with stories. We encourage everyone reading this to remember Jan, and share their stories about her with the Bowen family. Below are but a few threads in the fabric of Jan Bowen’s life. She met her husband Stephen when she was 19. She was working as a waitress at Frisch’s Diner. Stephen rode a motorcycle and had wildly long hair. Jan and Stephen fell in love fast and hard; they were married on June 7th 1974. Photos, personal recollections, and even a radio news reported quite the wedding celebration. There were over 200 guests, many of them her father’s business associates. It has been mentioned that WEBN radio reported a naked streaker crashed the wedding, and the mother of the bride ran after this naked man, swinging her umbrella and chasing him down the aisle into the bathroom. But you’d have to ask her husband, her best friend Jesse, or her sister Jean (as there was no Facebook back then). In 1975, she had her first son Brian just after her 21st birthday. Brian was followed by her second son four years later, Adam, “Dewey” in 1979. For more than 15 years Jan lived in the Village of Greenhill’s - the same small town she was born and raised in. And just down the street from her parents John and Vera Dixon. Throughout her life she was a small business owner. She had a passion to be her own boss and follow her own path. Jan owned Leo’s Den, a dog grooming business - her first venture. Leo’s combined her passion for animals with her determination to be at home to care for her boys. Her youngest son Adam loved to help with the animals, her older son Brian - not so much. If you knew Jan back then, then you knew she followed her heart, spoke her mind, had an untamable and passionate creative spirit. She played a lot of softball; she was very fast around the bases. She sponsored a softball team, Leo’s Den – after the name of her first business. Playing softball was a chance for her to spend time outside with her friends and family, laughing and having fun. Once both her boys were in elementary school, she focused on her second true passion: decorative painting. Jan quickly discovered she was a talented painter and realized that people loved her work. She sold many pieces and even made patterns so others could copy her work. In the mid 1980’s she started to promote holiday craft shows in her home, and as they grew in popularity, she turned her passion and hobby into a full-time business: Village Crafters in Greenhill’s shopping center on Winton Road. Over the next decade Village Crafters was an extension of Jan’s home. A place for friends to gather, a place for painting classes, a place for her mother Vera to work the cash register and a place for her boys to hang out after school. One of the highlights of this era was the Beanie Baby craze. If you knew Jan, then I am sure you have stories. She was selling them by the dozens… The little stuffed animals caused quite a stir. Jan made Village Crafters a fixture in the Greenhill’s community. A place where people could feel comfortable to sit and chat, to share, to laugh, to cry, to tell stories, to learn to paint and maybe even share glass of wine. When Village Crafters closed it marked the beginning of the third chapter in Jan’s small business journey. She opened Jan Bowen’s Designs and moved her store on-line, focusing on teaching painting on a larger scale. She traveled more, going to shows and conventions and expanded her business beyond Greenhill’s. She became a sponsored artist by www.Decoart.com She moved into a new home just across the lake in Springfield Township, where she would teach painting classes for the next two decades. It was during this time she joined the Greater Cincinnati Decorative Artists: “We're all about painting, learning, friendship, food and fun, and it's a colorful palette!” This is not only a beautiful description of GCDA and their mission, but a fitting description of Jan’s personal passions. She made even more lifelong friends at GCDA, and she inspired many with her incredible ability to use her gift of painting as a way to create a sense of community. Jan had an amazing ability to make people feel at home and at ease, and her painting classes were also a place for people to gather, talk and listen, and love one another. Jan dove into GCDA with energy and passion and went on to become the GCDA Chapter President multiple times. It was also during this time that Jan began to explore her passion for “real good cooking” and expanded on her desire to rescue animals including Moe, Keeker and Lily. A reoccurring theme in Jan’s life revolved around bringing people together. All of her passions created a sense of community, friendship and love. Jan’s painting classes were a place for people to talk, to share to love and laugh the classes gave people a place to unburden from their problems, share their life moments and seek support during hard times. Jan’s painting classes were truly communal places. Jan passed away peacefully at her home on April 3, 2020, age 65. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the family will have a Celebration of Jan’s life at a later date. Private graveside services will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mason. In a time where we can’t come together to mourn the loss and celebrate the memory of Jan Bowen - please consider talking to one another and sharing your stories of her with each another, so that her memory may live on. In honor of our mother Jan, and her memory, in lieu of flowers, we encourage you to donate to: Pet Lovers Inc. 4823 Blue Rock Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45247 We love you Mimi!!!! To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jan D. Bowen, please visit our flower store.