1920

Beatrice Bowen was born in 1920 in South Carolina, USA a child of Zacharias Bowen and Avie Ophelia Branham Bowen. 

1930

Beatrice Bowen was counted in the census on 02 May 1930 in Wateree, Kershaw, South Carolina, USA as a nine-year-old, female, single, white, daughter. Also in the home was her father, Zack Bowen; her mother, Avie Bowen; and her siblings; Murdock Bowen, Leon Bowen, and Dollie M Bowen; and her nephew Delmar Brown.

1938

On January 8, 1938, Miss Beatrice Bowen was listed in the newspaper article “Pacific Notes.“

On January 9, 1938, Miss Beatrice Bowen was listed in the newspaper article “Happening Last Week In Pacific Community.“

1939

When she was 19, she married Herbert Alvin Branham, son of Walter Branham and Etta Gladden, on 06 Jun 1939  Elgin, Kershaw, South Carolina, USA at the home of Benj F. Carson, Minister of Gospel. 

1940

Beatrice Branham was counted in the census on 04 May 1940 in Wateree, Kershaw, South Carolina, USA, as a nineteen-year-old, female, married, white, daughter-in-law. Also in the home was her father-in-law, Walter Branham; her mother-in-law, Etta Branham; and her husband, Alvin Branham.

1957

On March 18, 1957, Mrs. Beatrice Branham was was listed as a living daughter in the obituary of Zack Bowen.

1963

On July 5, 1963, Beatrice Bowen was listed as the mother on the marriage license to of her son, Larry D. Branham to Christine Cannon.

On November 22, 1963, Mrs. Herbert Alvin Branham was listed in the newspaper article, Muriel Bowen Branham Weds Luther M. Drawdy.

1988

On April 12, 1988, Mrs. Beatrice Branham was listed as a living sister in the obituary of Mrs. Dollie Mae Hoover.

1998

On May 29, 1998, Beatrice Branham was listed as the living sister in the obituary of Katherine Bowen Jeffers.

2002

On October 26, 2002, Beatrice Bowen Branham was listed as the living wife in the obituary of Herbert Alvin Branham.

2010

On February 5, 2010, Bea Shirley was mentioned as a living sister-in-law in the obituary of Ralph Edward Shirley.

2021

Obituary of Beatrice Bowen Branham-Shirley

ELGIN – A service to celebrate the life of Beatrice Bowen Branham-Shirley, 101, will be held Friday, November 5, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Highway Pentecostal Holiness Church with burial to follow in the church cemetery. The Rev. Jimmy Floyd and the Rev. Tim McIver will officiate. The family will receive friends following the service in the church fellowship hall. 

    Mrs. Branham-Shirley, wife of 63 years to the late Herbert Alvin Branham, passed away Saturday, October 23, 2021. Born in Kershaw County, she was the daughter of the late Zach Bowen and Avie Branham Bowen.

     Mrs. Branham-Shirley was a founding member of Highway Pentecostal Holiness Church where she taught Sunday school, sang in a variety of singing groups, and organized and directed the youth choir and nursing home ministry. She was a member of the Women Ministry and was named “Pioneer Woman of the Year” in 2007.  She enjoyed shopping, sewing, crafts, flowers, and camping.  Mrs. Shirley was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother.

    Surviving are her children, A. Gene Branham (Marie) of Ridgeway, Larry D. Branham (Christine) of Elgin, Muriel Drawdy (Luther) of Elgin and Machelle Frazier (Anthony) of Leesburg, Fla.; 12 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren.  She was predeceased by her second husband of 7 years, Homer Shirley; 11 siblings and 1 great-granddaughter.

     Memorials may be made to Highway Pentecostal Holiness Church, 2290 Heath Pond Road, Elgin, SC 29045, or to Gideons International, www.sendtheword.org, or to Crescent Hospice, 1370 Browning Road, Ste. 110, Columbia, SC 29210.

     The family wishes to thank the staff of Southwinds Assisted Living and the staff of Crescent Hospice for their exceptional care and devotion to mom.

     The family requests masks be worn due to COVID-19.

Celebration of Life

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Highway Pentecostal Holiness Church
2290 Heath Pond Rd
Elgin, South Carolina, United States

Burial

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Highway Pentecostal Holiness Church
2290 Heath Pond Rd
Elgin, South Carolina, United States