Joan Chesnut Bowen

Joan Chesnut Bowen, age 85 of Billings, Montana passed away Wednesday, November 6, 2024 after a 3-year courageous battle with Pancreatic Cancer. She was born April 19, 1939 in Burning Springs, Kentucky, the daughter of Robert and Anna Smith Chesnut.

Joan is survived by her husband of 63 years, Melville M. Bowen, Jr. and sisters: Carol Miller and husband E. G. Miller of London, Kentucky, Wanda Reid and husband Danny Reid of Manchester, Kentucky and several cousins, niecxes and nephews and a great niece and a great-great niece and her longtime friend in Kentucky, Nannie Garrett.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents: Robert and Anna Smith Chesnut, one brother, Robert Lee Chenut and one sister Corrine C. Butterbaugh, brother-in-law, Oren E. Butterbaugh, father-in-law, Melville M. Bowen, Sr., mother-in-law, Rosemary Coogan Bowen and brother-in-law, Keith Bowen.

Joan attended grade school in Burning Springs, Kentucky and Clay County High School in Manchester, Kentucky. Upon graduating from high school in 1957, Joan moved to Cincinnati, Ohio along with two of her classmates, JoAnn Cox and Janice Cope. She worked for ATT as a telephone operator. After a few years Joan and JoAnn transferred with ATT to Phoenix, Arizona. There she met Mel Bowen and they were on married July 22, 1961. 

Mel and Joan worked in Phoenix for a number of years and later moved to Casper, Wyoming and then to Billings, Montana where they retired.

After retirement Joan and Mel loved to travel and visit with family and friends all over the United States. She loved working with her collectibles and taking care of the lawn and feeding the animals that came by. She and Mel worked many years raising funds for the Montana Hope Project which fulfills the dreams and wishes of the children of Montana who suffer from a critical illness.

She will be missed by her husband, Mel, the neighbors who have been supportive during this time, and by her friends and relatives around the country. Joan made a personal impact on everyone she met.

Services and interment will be held at a later date and time in the Smith Cemetery in Manchester, Kentucky.

Obituary is courtesy of the Rominger Funeral Home.