Neil Lawrence Bowen | Eastern NC Now

    Neil Lawrence Bowen, 87, of Pantego, North Carolina, passed away at home on August 14, 2026.

    A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday August 17, 2026, at the Pantego Christian Church, 192 Maple Street, Pantego, NC, officiated by Rev. James Bussell and will be assisted by Tommy Edwards.

    The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Sunday August 16, 2026, at Paul Funeral Home in Belhaven.

    Neil was born on July 10, 1939, in Bakersfield, California, to the late Lawrence Hambly Bowen and Zelma Armenta Sledge Bowen. He was married to Dianne Laughinghouse Bowen for 53 years. He worked as a fireman for Southern Pacific Railroad, and a MP in the 504th Military Police Battalion. Mr. Bowen was a graduate of California State Polytechnic College with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Agricultural Business Management, Grain Merchandiser with continental Grain Company in Fort Worth, Texas and Norfolk, Virginia, International Grain Merchandiser with Louis Dreyfus Corporation in New York City and Portland, Oregon, Grain Merchandiser for A. D. Swindell Grain Company, Pantego. Mr. Bowen and his wife built and operated the Swindell Fish Farms raising farm raised catfish, processing, and stoking their ponds from the hatchery operation, and operated Pantego Plantation Gourmet Foods.

    In his retirement years he enjoyed his association with the Gideons who met every Saturday morning in Washington, NC.

    Survivors include his wife, Dianne L. Bowen of the home, daughter, Kathryn Margarette Bowen of Garner, NC, and 4 generations of Bowen cousins in California who meant the world to him.

    He was preceded in death along with his parents, by his cousin, Carver Bowen of Glennville, California.

    In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pantego Christian Church, P.O. Box 141, Pantego, NC 27860, or to Gideons International, P.O. Box 2578, Washington, NC 27889.

    Condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com

    Paul Funeral Home of Belhaven is honored to serve the Bowen family.