Elaine T. Bowers

Elaine Marking Moubry Bowers passed away at 98 years old on August 15, 2026.

Elaine was born on August 11, 1928, in Pine Bluff, Wis., the daughter of Arnold and Clara (Birrenkott) Marking. She moved with her parents to Madison when she was 10 years old where she attended St. James School with her cousin, Geraldine “Gerry” Bowar, met her lifelong friend, Margaret “Newsie” Neuhauser, and was close friends with Doris Stellmacher.

Elaine started her career as a young girl during World War II by first babysitting for and then working as bookkeeper for the Cains of the long-time furniture store Cain and Ashcraft Company. During high school Elaine and her friends would go to football games at Breese Stevens field and walk home down State Street, stopping at Coney Island for some food, and singing all the way.

She graduated from West High School in 1946. The following fall, her friend Gerry met Joe Schwoegler at a wedding. Soon after that, Joe asked Gerry for another date and asked Elaine if she would join them on a blind date with his cousin. Elaine met her love Robert “Bob” Moubry on that date and said they just clicked. They married on August 6, 1949, and had four children: Debra, Michael, MaryJo and Julie. After years of joint vacations, in the early 1960s, together with the Lynches and Schwoeglers, Elaine and Bob bought land and built a cottage on a small lake in Pardeeville, Wis., where all three families celebrated summer weekends together. Sadly, Elaine's husband, Bob, passed away shortly after the cottage was finished. Bob died of a heart attack way too young at 41 years old.

The cottage that Elaine and Bob built continues to be a meeting space for her family and has been the site of many Moubry-Lynch-Schwoegler gatherings filled with late-night songs, Euchre and Rummy 500 with her kids and grandchildren, lake swims and boat rides with an occasional boat sinking, family happy hours and dinners on the grill.

After Bob's death, Elaine married Albert “Al” Bowers, the widower of Rosella (Murphy) Bowers on June 27, 1970. Al and Rosella had four children: Joseph, Mary (Dave) Johnson, Bob (Debby), and Tom (Laura) Bowers. Together Elaine and Al lived in Middleton with their combined family. They enjoyed special times together including attending Mass, square dancing, family holiday gatherings, and traveling.

After her husband, Al, passed away in 2006, Elaine continued to live in Middleton, enjoying friends like Bonna and Joe Robinson from her square dancing, card and church women's groups, theater bus tours, state group dinners, sewing and quilting, outings with Mary Heiar and Mavis Fieber, traveling with her daughters, and summer weekends at the cottage. Elaine entered a senior care center in Madison when she was 91.

Elaine is survived by her children, Debra (Jack) Neuhauser, Michael Moubry, MaryJo (John) Feuerbach and Julie (Matt) Sutter; grandchildren, Chris, Corey (Kelly) and Tom (Tracy) Neuhauser, Cody (Kaela) and Dylan Moubry, Tasla (Jack) Bishop and Courtney Feuerbach, and Zachary, Morgan and Taya Sutter; and great-grandchildren, Jaime (Will) Korf, Tenley and Teagan Neuhauser, Hannah (Michael) Cromer and Noah Lindeman, Mia and Mason Moubry, and Braeden Bishop. She was also blessed with two great-great-grandchildren, Charlotte and Amelia Korf. Elaine is also survived by many cherished nieces and nephews and their kids.

Elaine is also survived by Al's children, Joseph Bowers, Mary (Dave) Johnson, Bob (Debby) Bowers and Tom (Laura) Bowers; their children, Joe, Angie, Kim, Scott and Paul; and their spouses and children.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Marion Fischer and Lorraine; brother, Conrad Marking; her sisters-in-law, Mary Marking and Mary Ann Murray; and brothers-in-law, Paul Moubry, Ray Hartwig, Gene Fischer and Don Murray.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2015 Parmenter St., Middleton, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, with Rev. Steven J. Kortendick presiding. A luncheon will follow in the church hall. Burial will take place at Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Wednesday.

In lieu of flowers, we encourage everyone to drink a toast and share a memory of mom with their family. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson West
Funeral & Cremation Care
7435 University Ave.
(608) 831-6761