Imogene Bowen died at her home in Mount Vernon on January 5th, 2007. She
was born on April 9th, 1935 in Sauk, Washington. The third of five children
born to Oscar Washington and Gertrude Martin Washington, Imogene’s
upbringing was steeped in the traditions of the Upper Skagit Tribe.
Through her formative years she was raised among four generations of
relatives on a homestead owned by her great-grandfather, imbued
with a strong work ethic and call to service for which her family had long
been noted. Her great-grandfather Jimmy Jones was a well-known traditional
religious leader; grandfather William Martin served as Bishop of the
Northwest Indian Shaker Church, and an elder of her father’s family signed
the Treaty of Point Elliott on behalf of the Nook-wa-chabsh Band of the
Upper Skagit.
Educated at the Chemawa Indian Boarding School, Imogene graduated from high
school in 1953 as class valedictorian. She returned to Mount Vernon to marry Jack Bowen, sr., and set about raising a large family of children. At the age of 43 she
achieved a paralegal degree from the Antioch School of Law, American Indian
Judge’s Training Program. After seeing her youngest son Joe off to Harvard,
she enrolled at Skagit Valley College where she achieved her Associate of
Arts Degree. Imogene then transferred to Western Washington University and,
at the age of 52, graduated with honors in Political Science on the very day
Joe graduated from the University of Washington School of Law. She
attended the law school graduation, joking that she’d worked even harder to
see her son’s diploma than her own
Imogene soon transferred her energy to public service. She worked for three
years as Prosecutor for Skagit Systems Cooperative. She also served as a
member of the Upper Skagit Tribal Council and as a founding member of the
Board of the Cascade Inter-tribal Housing Authority. But she was perhaps
best known for her community activism and leadership. In 1988 Imogene was
elected delegate to the Democratic National Convention, where she served as
floor whip. She chaired and worked for numerous local campaigns and, from
1991-1993, served as Chair of the Skagit County Democrats. Not content to
confine herself to election politics, Imogene was a tireless advocate for
peace, racial understanding, worker’s rights, and environmental protection. She toured
Europe as a delegate to the International Peace Education Fund Conference;
served as President of the Washington State Rainbow Coalition; led or worked on numerous initiatives to raise the minimum wage and protect workers, helped found the local Migrant Farmworker’s March, and served on the Board of the Washington Wildlife Coalition along with ex-Governors Evans and Lowry. She was elected to the Skagit Valley College Hall of Fame for Distinguished Alumni in recognition of her achievements.
Imogene was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, William ‘Oney’ Washington, Mildred Griffin, Peggy Wittrock and Rosemary Unive. She is survived by her children, Jay Bowen, Joe Bowen and Kay Knott of Mount Vernon, Jack, John, and Raymond Bowen and daughter Gina Fredburg of Sedro Woolley; grandchildren Jennifer Washington, Minna Hornbeck, Mary True, Janet Yarcho, Josh and Melinda Knott, Quintina, Jody, Chuck, Nigha, Jesse, Shante, Maranee, Laholeetha, Joe, Adia and Alex Bowen, several great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and close relations. Her friends, thankfully, are too many to enumerate, but the Bowen Family wishes to acknowledge the loving care she received from friends Hue Beattie of Bellingham, Debbie Aldrich of Bow, and Gloria Walker of Federal Way.
Imogene’s funeral is planned for 10:00 AM on Tuesday, January 9th at the Upper Skagit Tribe’s Gymnasium. A prayer service will be held on the preceding Monday night at 7:00 p.m. at the same location. Arrangements are being handled by Lemley Chapel, Sedro Woolley. Share memories of Imogene and sign the online guest register at www.lemleychapel.com
Imogene was my Auntie , as her sister Peggy was my Mother .. I was so Honored to get to meet Imogene in 2000 , I came to Mt Vernon , to see where I was born & where my mother was laid to rest & got to finally Meet my Auntie .. Ray Bowen & Shawn Wittrock were my 2 brothers , they lay to rest as well ! Thank YOU & God Bless all … Diana Peterson in Kalispell , Montana