Linda Bowlby

Linda Arlene (Nicholls) Bowlby, 66, of rural Bucyrus was welcomed into Heaven on Saturday, October 19, 2013 at Galion Community Hospital.



Linda was born September 12, 1947 in Martins Ferry, Ohio to the late Theodore Roosevelt and Jessie Edith (Berry) Nicholls. She married James Keith Bowlby on July 18, 1970. James preceded her in death in 2010 after 40 years together.



Linda is survived by a sister-in-law, Roberta Nicholls of Cold Spring, NY; one niece, Jennifer Ann (Nicholls) Manzi and her husband, Michael Manzi, of Newburg, NY; one nephew, Christopher Michael Nicholls of Beacon, NY; two great nephews, Michael Manzi IV and Anthony Joseph Manzi of Newburg; and one brother-in-law, Garry C. Bowlby of Galion.



In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother, George Alexander Nicholls.



Linda graduated from Mansfield Malabar High School in 1965, The Ohio State University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education, and from Bowling Green State University with a Master of Science in Applied Human Ecology (M.A.H.E.) with a specialty in Human Development and Family Studies and a Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling in 1991.



She taught Family and Consumer Science (AKA Home Economics) for 35 years at Wynford Jr. & Sr. High School in Bucyrus with the last 12 years as an employee of Pioneer Career and Technology Center of Shelby as part of the Wynford Satellite Program. She was also the adviser of the Wynford FCCLA (formerly the Future Homemakers of America) program, treasurer of the Wynford Education Association, and a member of the first Wynford Technology committee. Following her retirement in 2004, she continued in the field of education by substituting at Wynford Local Schools, Col. Crawford Local Schools, Bucyrus City Schools, and Buckeye Central Schools.



Linda also worked at Korral Kreations of Sycamore, Ohio where she designed and sewed equestrian show attire, Life Touch Church Directories of Gallon as a Lead in the Component Preparation Department, and judged 4-H and county fair projects for numerous counties in Ohio and New Jersey.



The Bowlbys raised and showed registered Quarter Horses. Linda's favorite class was the Trail Class when showing her horses. She was a member of AQHA, OQHA, OAQHA, NOQHA, EOQHA, SOQHA, and the Bucyrus All Breed Horse Club. They also raised pygmy goats, Cairn Terriers, and Australian Shepherds. Linda was a member of the Tarhe All Breed Dog Club and participated with their drill team with her Cairn Terrier, Kelly.



Linda was the founder and president of the Mid-West Side-Saddle Association (MWSSA) which became the World Sidesaddle Federation, Inc. (WSFI) under her 30 year presidency. WSFI merged with the International Side Saddle Organization (ISSO) in 2004. Linda was president of ISSO from 2004 to 2006. Linda has been the president of the American Sidesaddle Association (ASA) since 2012. She was also editor of the various sidesaddle organizations' magazines and newsletters which included: All Aside, Aside World, and ASA Phoenix. Linda traveled the USA and Canada promoting sidesaddle riding and giving clinics on riding sidesaddle. She wrote numerous articles and booklets on the art of riding aside. She co-authored The Sidesaddle Legacy with Martha Coe Friddle of North Carolina. She was very proud of riding in the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Parade with the Southern Ohio Ladies Aside (SOLA). She also participated in the Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade, Kentucky Derby Festival in Louisville, Pegasus Parade, All Horse Parade in Delaware, Ohio, and numerous other parades with SOLA and ASA.



Linda also enjoyed geocaching and was a member of the North Central Ohio Geocachers (NCOG). She was in charge of the NCOG CITO events, enjoyed puzzle caches, and hikes in the woods after a cache. She had placed over 50 of her own geocaches. She also enjoyed reading, knitting, crocheting and other crafts. Linda was a member of the Chatfield Evangelical Pietist Church in Chatfield, Ohio.



Linda's family will receive friends at a memorial gathering Thursday, October 24 from 5-8:00 p.m. at Wise Funeral Service in Bucyrus. She will be inurned in Brokensword Cemetery in a private ceremony officiated by Pastor Larry Bertsch.



Memorial donations may be given to Alzheimer's Association through the funeral home and memories are encouraged in the Memorial Guestbook below.



Visitation:

Thursday, October 24, 2013 5-8:00 p.m.

Wise Funeral Service, 129 W. Warren St., Bucyrus, Ohio 44820



Service:

Private



Cemetery:

Brokensword Cemetery, Brokensword, Ohio