(May 13, 1918—October 11, 2014)
Lova Bowler Adams passed away October 11, 2014, in Tremonton, Utah. She was born May 13, 1918, to Henry and Lula Wilson Bowler, in the small town of Gunlock, Utah. She was the oldest of five girls (Lova, Berle, Nell, Blythe and Ardyth) and two boys (Page and Guy). Her father owned the Bigelow Ranch, and her childhood was split between the ranch and the town of Gunlock. She preferred living on the ranch. She always preferred working outdoors with the boys, which was fine with her sisters, as they preferred cooking and doing housework. She learned the work ethic very early, and applied it all her life.
Some memories she shared of her early life — her mother was from a little town near Panguitch called Hillsdale. The Bowlers would load up the family and all the fruit they could spare and go visit them every year or two — first by horse and wagon, but her father was one of the first in the area to buy a car so that made the trips much easier. Lova really enjoyed reconnecting with cousins and relatives during these trips.
Her father also ran a camp for deer hunters who came up from California each year. These were quite prosperous men who enjoyed hunting. They brought hand me down clothing from their families each year, so Lova and the rest of the family looked forward to seeing them come. Lova was very handy with a needle and sewing machine, and could alter the clothing to look fresh and new. Those were good memories for Lova and her sisters.
When she was 14 years old, her father took her and her cousin (who was also 14) to St. George, which was about 20 miles away on an unimproved road, with a load of wood to pay their tuition and rent. The two of them lived in a converted granary. She finished high school, helping her younger siblings as they came of age.
Mom had several jobs during the war years — taught school, drove the mail, cooked at Dick’s Cafe, and waited tables at the Sugar Loaf Cafe. She married Jacob Houser, and her son Gary was born then. She lived in various places including Santa Barbara, California, Brooklyn, New York, and Veyo, Utah.
After World War II, Mom and Jacob were divorced, and Mom married Dewane Adams. They lived in Las Vegas briefly while Dewane worked at Hoover Dam, then Dewane and his brother bought land in the Washington Fields and started a dairy, and Lova and Dewane began a family – three girls to keep Gary company: LaRae, Sandy, and Sherri. They bought the home that Dewane was born in, and spent the next 50 years or more in Washington, Utah. Dewane ran a feedlot operation and Lova worked first in a poultry processing plant then in the Wenzel Tent and Sleeping Bag Manufacturing. Lova and Dewane were together for nearly 60 years, and Lova missed him every day after he passed.
Lova was very active in church and civic committees. She was a long standing member of the Pie Committee and worked in the St. George Temple for more than 20 years. For fun, she was a long time member of the Rook Club.
Of all Lova’s accomplishments, and there have been many, I am sure she would have numbered her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren her greatest. She’s survived by her daughters LaRae Adams, Sandra Shelton and Sherri Morrill, her daughter-in-law Virginia Holyoke, her grandchildren Sherilee, Merilee, Lisa, Brian, Denise, Travis, Justin, Melissa, Mekelle, Jackie, Adam, Kari, and Cassidy, great-grandchildren Adam, Eric, Heather, Brandon, Natasha, Chelsie, Jamie, Braysen, Kason, Karly, Jaken, Jaxton, Dylan, Hunter, Taylor, Gunnar, Crew, Bentley, Sloane, Knox, Brett, Jadon, Isabella, Buck, Tyson, Wyatt, Bailey, Kalyb, Gary, Briggs, and great-great-grandchildren Daisy, Levi, Isaac, Titus, and Jade.
Funeral Services
- Funeral services will be held Friday, Oct. 17, at 2 p.m. at the Metcalf Mortuary Chapel, 288 West St. George Blvd, St. George, Utah.
- A visitation will be held Friday, Oct. 17 from 12:30-1:30 p.m., prior to services at Metcalf Mortuary.
- Interment will be held in The Washington City Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, telephone 435-673-4221. For condolences, full obituary, and funeral listings please visit the Metcalf Mortuary website.