Obituary of Alan Stevenson Bowling

Alan Stevenson Bowling of Independence, KY passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, March 1, 2025. He was 91. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Wilma Mills Bowling, his brother, R.B. Bowling, and his sister Lois Lowe. He is survived by his two daughters, Felicia Rudolph (Evansville, IN) and Yolanda Mallory (Indianapolis, IN and Naples, FL); his son, Steven Bowling (Versailles, KY); his sons-in-law, Michael Rudolph and Eric Mallory; his daughter-in-law, Paula Bowling; his grandchildren, Brittany Hollon (Lexington, KY), Blake Bowling (Lexington, KY), Jordan Mallory (Eugene, OR), Dylan Mallory (Newport Beach, CA), Morgan Rudolph (Indianapolis, IN), and Carrie Dwyer (Evansville, IN); his great grandchildren, McKenzie Hollon and Daniel Dwyer; his brother, Kyle Bowling (Erlanger, KY); and his step-siblings, Barbara Duncan (Covington, KY) and Benny Trail (Wilmington, OH).  

Alan was born at home in Leslie County to Frank and Ora Bowling. He was delivered by Nurse Stevenson, who inspired his middle name. He lost his mother to heart disease when he was 10 years old; at 12 he endured a 7-week stay in Hyden Hospital after suffering a major burn (his father paid the hospital bill with a watermelon). Alan always described his childhood in Big Creek as happy.   

For a short time, Alan hauled coal for Red Lewis. He volunteered for the Korean War draft and earned his GED. With support from the G. I. Bill, Alan attended Cumberland College (now the University of the Cumberlands). He left Cumberland College after a semester but graduated from the Ohio Mechanics Institute, where he learned the residential building trade and how to “cut a roof.” Alan went on to earn a real estate brokerage license and a home inspection license. He later reflected that his life was a continuous pursuit of education.    

While at Cumberland College, Alan dated Wilma Mills, who he was acquainted with from childhood. The two married shortly after in 1956 in Covington, KY, and had two daughters and a son in quick succession. As a young parent, Alan was a factory worker at Continental Can before going on to work as a builder. He turned such a profit from the sale of the first house he built that he and Wilma decided to pursue real estate full time. By the 1960’s, Alan was a real estate broker and co-owned Century 21 Tri-County Realty with Wilma, who was a salesperson. Alan served as the president of the Northern Kentucky Real Estate Board and as the city of Independence building inspector. Alan was a member and Sunday School teacher at Oak Ridge Baptist Church in Taylor Mill, KY and a member of Anchor Baptist Church in Lexington, KY.

After Wilma’s death in 2016, Alan moved to Lexington, KY and resided in the Lafayette Senior Living facility, where he enjoyed an active social life, playing Rook, and serving as a member and then president of the Lafayette Residential Board. He passed away at Taylor Manor in Versailles, KY.

Visitation for Alan will be held in the chapel at Forest Lawn Memorial Park on Saturday, March 8, 2025, from 10 am to 11:15 am,  followed by a service and internment. The visitation, service, and internment are open to everyone who knew and loved Alan.