MYRLEEN E. BOWERSOX
Myrleen E. Bowersox (age 67), of Honolulu, Hawaii, passed away on February 1, 2011, at The Duke University Hospital Cancer Center, Durham, NC.
Myrleen was born as Myrleen Smith in Salinas, CA to Ernest and Jessie (Powell) Smith. After their deaths, she was adopted by Leland and Willa "Billie" Brown. She graduated from Salinas High and Armstrong College of Business Administration and attended the Lincoln Law School in San Francisco.
As a teenager, Myrleen worked at Brown's Department Store. After attending college, she worked as a paralegal, married attorney Barry Runnion, and helped him run his law offices in Walnut Creek and Oakland, CA. She served as the Executive Secretary of the Contra Costa County Bar Association from 1971 to 1973.
After her husband's death, she moved to Erwin, Tennessee where she opened Myr Enterprises a retail antique store. In 2006, Myrleen married Gary W. Bowersox, moved to Honolulu, and worked with Gary in his gem and jewelry businesses where she served on the Board of Directors and as Corporate Secretary of the Gem Hunters Corporation and GeoVision, Inc.
Myrleen is survived by her husband Gary, sister Myra, brothers Erwin Smith (Terry) and Paul Smith (Belinda), and nieces Julie (Smith) Faas and Diane (Smith) Page of Salinas.
Myrleen assisted Gary with distribution of school supplies to the children in the mountain areas of Afghanistan. Donation can be made in her name to The Hawaii Kai Rotary Club Foundation (c/o GWB, PO Box 89646, Honolulu, HI 96830).
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
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