Naomi Ruth Bowman

Naomi Ruth (Smith) Chisholm, Allen, Bowman was born September 9, 1917 to Carl and Ruth Smith. She was the only child, and a third-generation family member of the Rose Hill community. She grew up on a farm west and south of Rose Hill and remembers being taken to school in Rose Hill either by horse and carriage or by neighbors that had a larger sized car. In school she enjoyed playing basketball, softball, and the clarinet in band, and singing in glee club. At home she liked to hang out with her dad and ride horses. After graduation from high school she studied to become a beautician and began her career in Wichita. It was during this time that she met Selby Chisholm. Selby worked at a restaurant where he saw Naomi walk by and through inquiries found out that she worked in a nearby beauty salon. After a short period of time he got up the courage to go into the beauty shop where Naomi worked and asked her for a date. They were married on June 19, 1938. Naomi’s father was killed in a farm accident in the fall of 1938. It was shortly after this tragic accident that the newlyweds moved to Rose Hill to take over the family farming operation. Naomi loved the outdoors and took an active part alongside Selby in working the farm by driving tractors, trucks, milking the cows, and doing other chores, and getting to ride her beloved horses! It was during this time on the farm that the couple was blessed with three children, Karen (1942), Claude (1952), and Kem (1954). In the early 1950’s Naomi and Selby made a decision to become active in their faith and to faithfully serve Christ. They became very involved in the Rose Hill Methodist Church. Later Selby and Naomi were charter members of the group founding the Rose Hill Bible Church. Serving the Lord became a central theme for them and their family. It seems that there was a very artistic side to Naomi that began to emerge during this time on the farm. Naomi found that she had an interest in painting and as a result she took up “china painting” under the tutoring of Florence Barnes of Douglass. She painted many pieces of jewelry, decorative plates, and lamps which the family has greatly enjoyed and admired! Naomi moved off the farm to Derby in 1977, a year after Selby passed away. It was during this time that Naomi had a rare opportunity to go to Washington D.C. and attend the inauguration of President Ronald Regan. Senator Bob Dole’s sister was Naomi’s neighbor and she invited her to be the senator’s guest at the inauguration and the inauguration ball, which she gladly accepted. As time went on she was blessed with husband John Allen. But tragedy struck again and took the life of John after only three short years. Several years after John Allen’s passing, Karen’s husband John Pair, arranged for a lunch date with a Derby farmer friend of his whose name was Gerald Bowman. This was the start of a blossoming romance, and they were married November 30, 1985. Gerald’s daughter Ann became the sister that Karen always wanted! Ann and her husband Steve and their two daughters were a welcome addition to Naomi’s family. Naomi and Gerald had many things in common, but one of their joys was traveling. Some of their special trips were to Alaska, Hawaii, and around other parts of the United States. They joined a local camping club after acquiring their fifth-wheel, and enjoyed many travels and activities with their club members. They had a lot of friends over the years and Naomi really liked entertaining them, even making homemade ice cream for the groups. She also derived great pleasure gardening and caring for her flowers, to the extent that she received the “Yard of the Week” honor for Derby. Their regular family, as well as their church family, were always extremely important to both Gerald and Naomi. They were long time members of First Baptist Church in Derby. Naomi and Gerald would be blessed with almost 26 years of marriage to each other before Gerald went to be with his Savior in October of 2011. Naomi went to be with her Lord and Savior Friday, December 2, 2016. The visitation for Naomi will be 1-8 pm Thursday, December 8, with family receiving friends 6-8 pm; funeral service 10 am Saturday, December 10, both at Smith Mortuary, 1415 N. Rock Rd., Derby. She is preceded in death by her husbands, Selby Chisholm, John Allen and Gerald Bowman. Survivors: sons, Claude Chisholm, Memphis, and Carl Chisholm (Autumn), Durham; daughters, Karen Liby (Lloyd), Derby, and Anne Lackey, Phoenix; grandchildren, Michelle Spohnholz (Rich), Kimberly Spring (Luke), Chris Chisholm (Kelsi), Keli Wray (Andy), Kara Stueve (Braden), Steven Chisholm (Haley), Juli Anne Rathbun (Drew), Shelby Chisholm, Chelley Stockton (Bret), and Jennifer Knapp (Jason); great-grandchildren, John, Siena, Stelle, Grace, Brannon, Scout, Zaylah, Tate, Langston, Irie, Shaelyn, Shana, Jett, Aurora and Destry. Memorial donations to The Martin & Gracia Burnham Foundation, 706 N Lindenwood Dr, Olathe, KS 66062

Saturday, December 10, 2016

10:00 AM

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