MAX MEADOWS, VA - Juanita Bowling (nee Bentley), age 87 of Max Meadows, VA, formerly of Wooster, OH joined her husband Pearl on March 12, 2017.

Juanita was born in Hyden, KY on June 23, 1929 to the late George and Ida Mae (Jones) Bentley and later married Pearl E. Bowling of Hazard, KY in 1949.

Retiring from Milich’s Village Inn after working there from the 1970’s until 1988, she became the founder of Bowling’s Family Restaurant on Madison Hill, and later Cleveland Rd., where she was known as “Mrs. B”.  Juanita was known for running a tight, clean kitchen that always served the best food.  From there she went on to be a prep cook at the Greenleaf Restaurant in Wooster, OH before moving to Max Meadows, VA and working at a local restaurant.  She finally moved to the mountain where she lived in the comfort and care of her son, Donald (Amanda Kitts) and her dog Blue.

Preceded in death by her husband, Pearl E. in 1988; brother, George Julian Bentley; sister, Fannie Reynolds (nee Bentley), she is survived by her daughters, Shirley O’Reilly of AZ, Tammy (Charles) Altvater of TX; sons, Ronald Bentley (Christine Mitchell) of AZ, Douglas (Bonnie) of Ashland, OH, Donald (Amanda Kitts) of VA, Dan (Mary) of Big Prairie, OH; 19 grandchildren; 41 great grandchildren; sisters, Wanda Lou Osborne of Hyden, KY, Bernadine (Tom) Pence of  Newport, KY; special friends Joyce Chandler of Max Meadows, VA, and her hair dresser Kathy of Wytheville, VA.

Funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. at the Zak-Thacker & Monbarren Funeral Home, 132 N. Portage St., Doylestown, 44230, with Pastor Larry Knight, officiating.  Burial will take place at Chestnut Hill Cemetery.  Friends and family may call on Saturday from 1:30 p.m. until time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Twin County Hospice, 818 Glendale Rd. #2, Galax, VA 24333 or Virginia Home Health and Hospice, 7061 W. Lee Highway, Rural Retreat, VA 24368.  Online obituary and guest registry are available at www.zakmonbarrenfh.com

(Zak-Thacker & Monbarren, 330-658-2211)

 Service Information