William Bowling: patriarch of one of Monroe's most famous families

William Harrison Bowling was like many early 20th century Americans who left rural locations in the South seeking employment opportunities in the North.

Bowling was born to Anderson R. Bowling and Amanda Hacker Ebersole on September 19, 1886, in Jackson County, Kentucky, a rural southeastern county located near the Daniel Boone National Forest.

His first stop once he left the South he grew up in was Hamilton, Ohio (outside Cincinnati), where sons William Anderson Bowling and Glen Edward Bowling were born on August 25, 1919, and April 8, 1922, respectively.

However, his second stop was Monroe, Michigan, and it was here that he raised his family - many of whom would reside for varying periods of time – including daughter Marjorie Marie – whose daughter Christie Brinkley was born Christie Lee Hudson on February 2, 1954 and often touted as one of Monroe’s most famous citizens of the second half of the 20^th century.

The Bowling family lived for many years at 501 East Second Street in Monroe. It was the homestead where five of the seven Bowling children were born – Beulah (Bea) Florence Bowling Adkins (born January 3, 1924); Juanita F. (Nicki) Bowling Keefe (born December 29, 1924); Betty Jane Bowling Crabtree, and James E. (born December 7, 1928); and Marjorie Marie (born September 23, 1930).

Like many families of the time, the Bowling men were encouraged to serve in the military (William Anderson served in the Air Force, and Glen Edward served in the Army – enlisting October 1, 1942 at Kalamazoo). In addition, many became involved in Monroe-area service activities; Nicki often volunteered at the Monroe County Courthouse, and Bea was a Campfire Girl leader in the area.

The Bowling daughters were also involved in their respective churches – Bea served at Grace Lutheran’s Ladies Aide and Altar Guild (sister Betty Jane as also a member there), and Nicki was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and their choir.

Both William Anderson Bowling and Nicki Bowling Keefe had long tenures at La-Z-Boy (William Anderson worked in sales; Nicki Bowling Keefe worked in the secretarial pool for 25 years, retiring in 1989.

Tragedy had struck the Bowling family on December 4, 1959 when the following appeared in the Detroit Free Press - William Bowling, 73, of 501 E. Second, was killed Friday night when he was hit by a northbound train at the Detroit & Toledo Shoreline railroad crossing at E. First. The engineer, Richard H. Larnhart, 34, of Toledo, told that he saw Bowling crawling across the tracks on his hands and knees. He said the train was going 22 miles an hour. Police said Bowling was on his way to work as a watchman at a nearby factory.

It was around this time that Marjorie Marie Bowling (who had married Herbert George Hudson of Monroe – born in 1925 to Herbert A. Hudson and Isabelle Gessner Hudson - in 1952 and had Christie by this time) moved to California. The couple later divorced, and Marjorie met and married Donald Alan Brinkley – a TV writer and producer (who had been married previously to Lois Annette Beard Marsh; the couple had two children). Christie then had a step-brother, Greg, and was eventually adopted by Brinkley – hence her professional name.

Christy Brinkley is a model, actress, and entrepreneur. In addition, she has been an activist for human rights, animal rights, the environment, and – most recently – women’s health. Her appearances on the cover of Sports Illustrated and celebrity marriages (to singer Billy Joel and Peter Cook, which ended in divorce) resulted in three children.

Marjorie Bowling Brinkley died in 2012 – months after Don’s death; they were married for 50 years.

Tom Adamich is President – Visiting Librarian Service, a firm he has operated since 1993. He also is Project Archivist for the Greening Nursery Company and Family Archives.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: William Bowling patriarch of one of Monroe's most famous families