Margaret Sikes Bowers

WADESBORO - Margaret Sikes Bowers, beloved mother, grandmother, and mother-in-law, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, July 15, 2024. 

 Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM, Friday, July 19, 2024, at First United Methodist Church, Wadesboro with Rev. Stacey Lundy officiating. 

 The family will greet friends following the service at a reception in the church fellowship hall. 

 The interment will be in Anson Memorial Park later that day. 

Margaret was born on May 25, 1928, in the Burnsville community of Anson County, NC. She was the daughter of Thomas Clyde and Effie Rushing Sikes. She was a graduate of Burnsville High School and attended Pfeiffer Junior College. 

She began her bookkeeping career at B. C. Moore’s & Sons and later worked at Wadesboro Nursing Home. She became a substitute teacher and tutor at Bowman High School to better accommodate her children's schedule. 

Growing up on a farm, instilled in Margaret a strong work ethic as evidenced by her flower gardens and well-maintained yard and driveway. She spent countless hours canning and freezing vegetables. She found time also to do cross-stitching, basket weaving, and furniture refinishing. 

Margaret was a wonderful southern cook who was known for her cheese straws and fig preserves. At the Sikes reunion each July, family members looked forward to her potato salad and chocolate pound cake. 

Though Margaret was affectionately given many nicknames throughout her life, her very favorite one was MeMa by her grandsons Erik and Kyle. 

Margaret was a faithful member of First United Methodist Church, where she especially loved being a part of the Cokesbury Sunday School, United Methodist Women, and the Energizers Club. 

 Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Joyce Bowers of Lewisville, Diane Porterfield (Dennis) of Haw River, and Thomas Bowers (Carla) of Wingate; grandchildren Erik Bowers (Melissa) of Richmond, VA and Kyle Bowers(Lindsay) of Wingate; her sisters-in-law, Sheila Sikes, Linda Lewis, and Joyce Sikes; numerous nieces and nephews who fondly called her Aunt Margaret, and her extended Sikes family, including Rachel Porter, who was more like a sister to her. 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, James Benton, her brothers Ross, Lee, Winfred (Wink), Tommy, Paul, and twins, Boyce and Joyce Sikes. 

Margaret’s family is most grateful to Paula Pierre and, most recently, Carol Holloway, Josephine Howard, Shirlene Lucas, Tytiana Lucas, Julie Purser, Amy Whittington, and the Hospice of Union County Team for their loving and compassionate care. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to First United Methodist Church, 118 E. Morgan St, Wadesboro, NC. 28170 or to Hospice of Union, 700 W. Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe, NC 28110. 

The arrangements are in care of Leavitt Funeral Home and online condolences may be made at www.leavittfh.com