Bessie E. Nethers

Bessie E. (Bowser) Nethers April 16, 1907- December 02,2005 A funeral service for Bessie E. Nethers, 98, of Zanesville will be held at 1p.m. Monday, December 5, 2005 at the Bolin-Dierkes Funeral Home, with Rev. James A. Sands officiating. Burial will follow in Zanesville Memorial Park, Zanesville. Bessie passed away at 4:50 a.m., December 2, 2005 at the Adams Lane Care Center due to complications from Pneumonia. She was the third of four children born to Birdie (Orr) Bowser and Murray Bowser on April 16, 1907. The family home was situated on a farm 3 miles south of Brownsville on Ohio 668. Her education began at North Star School , just up the road from the family home. Then she went to Roberts School (toward Glenford). From fifth grade on Bessie attended Brownsville School where she graduated in 1925 as class Valedictorian. It was during that time that she made up her mind that she wanted to be a school teacher. Bessie attended Muskingum College, and graduated from there in 1927 after a two year Normal Course with a teaching degree, receiving Honorable Mention. Bessie had been an active school teacher for 27 years. She taught four years at Nashport, then Brownsville from 1931-1934. However, in 1934 she married Fred Nethers and stopped teaching. In 1936 a son, Ronald , was born and in 1939 a daughter, Marcia. In 1954, she resumed teaching in Public schools as a Religious Education Teacher. There were four teachers in that program. In 1974 she stopped teaching when the Religious Education Program was discontinued in public schools. Bessie, a member since 1937, was also very active in Grace United Methodist Church of Zanesville. She taught children's Sunday School classes and Junior Church for many years and was a member of Helen Kim Circle, Grace Senior Citizens, Church Women United and OWLS. Among memberships in organizations outside of her activities at Grace Church, Bessie held memberships in The Council of Clubs of Muskingum County Senior Citizens, The Salvation Army Auxillary, Muskingum River Club and Retired Teachers Association. Some of Bessie's most cherished hobbies included gardening, reading, playing the Piano and Organ. Bessie's mother was very ingenious to help her enjoy writing and spelling, so she took up writing poetry, Poems about family members, friends and special occasions. She has written many pages of poems. Bessie's husband, Fred J. Nethers, preceded her in death in 1973. Her sister, Maude (Bowser) Cooperrider of Newark, and brother, Frank (Harold) Bowser of Brownsville/Glenford area, and one sister, Dorothy M. (Bowser) McDonough, of Newark, also have preceded her in death. She is survived by her children, Marcia E. (Nethers) and Edward Imlay (husband) of Zanesville and her son, Ronald F. Nethers of Zanesville. One daughter-in-law, Carma Lee Nethers (wife of Ronald) preceded her in death in 2001. Her loving grandchildren are Greg of Mesa, Arizona, Philip of Zanesville, and Lynette of Louisville, Kentucky. She is also survived by six loving great grandchildren, Brandie, Rachelle and Clinton, all of Mesa, AZ., Jourdan of Crooksville, Jordon and Christopher of Louisville, KY. There are many surviving , loving nieces and nephews and loving great nieces and great nephews. Friends may call from 11: 00 a.m. prior to services at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, December 5, 2005, at the funeral home, 1271 Blue Avenue, Zanesville. Memorial contributions may be made to Grace United Methodist Church, 516 Shinnick Street, Zanesville, Ohio 43701.