Annette Thornton Bowling

Annette "Maette" Thornton Bowling, 80, of Doerun, GA died Wednesday, September 28, 2016, at her residence. Funeral service will be conducted Saturday at 11:00 AM at Gillionville Baptist Church. Rev. Bobby Moye and Senator Greg Kirk will officiate. Her nephews will serve as pallbearers and clients of Albany ARC are asked to serve as honorary pallbearers. Committal service will be at 4:00 PM at Greenlawn Cemetery, 16 East College Street, Lakeland, GA where Rev. Harris Whitman will officiate.

Mrs. Bowling was born in Lakeland, GA to the late L.A. and Inez Crosby Thornton and moved to Doerun, GA in 1975. She was raised in Homerville, GA, graduating from Clinch High School where she was voted, "Most likely to Succeed" by her classmates. Mrs. Bowling graduated from Perry School of Business and moved to Albany, GA in 1971. In 1974 she began serving as Director of Albany Advocacy Resource Center and held that position for thirty-nine years. In 2001, Mrs. Bowling established A. Bowling & Associates, a consulting company in the area of Human Services. Mrs. Bowling was also a former employee of Olin Mills Studios and Georgia Power, and a member of Grace Baptist Church in Doerun, GA.

Mrs. Bowling served as a strong advocate for rehabilitation and disability service issues and served on boards and in various capacities with Georgia Budget & Policy Institute, Georgia Brain, Spinal Cord Injury Trust Commission, State Commission on MH/DD/AD Reform, Oversight Committee for Brookrun and Georgia Mental Health Institution closures, Governor's Blue Ribbon Taskforce on Community Based Services, and Leadership Albany. She was included in the Nationwide Register's Who's Who in Executives and Businesses 2001-2002, named one of Georgia Trend's 2008: 100 Most Influential Georgians, one of the Ten Outstanding Georgia Women by Georgia Commission on Women Georgia's Legacy, received the Georgia Council on Aging Vita R. Ostrander Advocacy Award, was honored as a Woman of Distinction by Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia and with the Pathfinder Award by the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund. Representative Jay Powell honored Annette with a House Resolution in 2011 for her years of service to people with disabilities.

Survivors include her husband, George S. Bowling, Doerun, GA, one son, Al Connell, Albany, GA, one granddaughter, Kaycee Gilliard, two great-grandchildren, Allie Gilliard and Harrison Taft, all of Pearson, GA, one brother, Albert Thornton, Homerville, GA, one sister, Carolyn Corbitt, Ambrose, GA, and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends on Friday evening from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Mathews Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make donations to AARC, 2616 Pointe N Blvd, Albany, GA 31721.