IN MEMORY OF SHERIFF JOHN BOWENS

On 2026-02-09, Representative Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA-2) delivered a floor speech titled "IN MEMORY OF SHERIFF JOHN BOWENS" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered the environment, crime and justice.

IN MEMORY OF SHERIFF JOHN BOWENS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 27 (Monday, February 9, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 27 (Monday, February 9, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E117] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] IN MEMORY OF SHERIFF JOHN BOWENS ______ HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR. of georgia in the house of representatives Monday, February 9, 2026 Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with profound sorrow but also with deep gratitude to pay tribute to a man whose life was a testament to faith, service, and love--Sheriff John Bowens of Terrell County, Georgia. A funeral service to celebrate his remarkable and purposeful life was held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, in Dawson, Georgia. Born August 17, 1946, in Dawson, Georgia, John Bowens grew from humble beginnings into a leader whose steady hands and steady heart guided a community for more than three decades. I have had the honor of representing many remarkable public servants, but few have combined humility, resolve, and compassion the way Sheriff Bowens did. His story is the American story--a son of Terrell County who worked hard, raised a devoted family, held fast to faith, and answered the call to protect his neighbors. After graduating from Carver High School in 1965, Sheriff Bowens rolled up his sleeves and worked wherever his community needed him: as a bus driver, ensuring children arrived at school safe and ready to learn; as a mechanic at Dawson Motor Company, tending to the machines that helped his neighbors make a living; and later in the ranks of public safety--with the Dawson Fire Department, the Dawson and Dougherty County police departments, and ultimately the Terrell County Sheriffs Department. Each step in his career was a step closer to a life of service, each job a small promise kept to his fellow citizens. In 1992, the people of Terrell County placed their trust in John Bowens and elected him, Sheriff. That trust was repaid every day, for 32 years. He served longer than any sheriff in the county's history and became the longest-serving African American sheriff elected in the State of Georgia. But these distinctions tell only part of the story. What mattered most to those who knew him was not the record on a plaque, but the quiet, constant ways he showed up: walking neighborhoods, listening to concerns with patience, mentoring young people who might otherwise have lost their way, and standing at the bedside of a grieving family or the side of a frightened child until calm returned. Sheriff Bowens' leadership flowed from a bedrock of faith. Introduced to Christ early, he first joined Pleasant Hill Missionary Church in Herod and later made Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Dawson his spiritual home. For more than thirty years, he served as a Deacon and as Chairman of the Deacon Board--roles he carried not as honors but as responsibilities. In the church he found purpose; in the Lord he found the guiding light that shaped his decisions, his care for others, and the moral courage that marked his long career. His life was also defined by a love that endured: in 1966 he married Janice Williams Bowens, his partner, confidante, and anchor. Together they raised four children--Darrell, Brenda, Marcus, and Pamela--and built a family that mirrored the values they lived: faith, perseverance, and tenderness. John took pride in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; he celebrated their milestones as if they were his own, and they drew strength from his example. Family, for Sheriff Bowens, was not a private matter--it was the wellspring of his public service, the place where he learned to care for others before caring for self. Sheriff Bowens was a man of convictions. He was outspoken when injustice threatened the vulnerable, and he was steady when storms-- literal and figurative--tested Terrell County. People could depend upon him. When difficult choices had to be made, neighbors sought his counsel because they knew his word was his bond. He earned the respect of fellow law enforcement officers across counties, and he carried himself with a dignity that reflected both his personal faith and his commitment to the rule of law. Those who served beside him remember a leader who mentored rather than commanded, who cultivated loyalty not by fear but by example. He was a Mason at St. Mark Lodge 59 and a friend to many. He celebrated community life and helped weave the social fabric of Dawson and Terrell County so that when tragedy came, people had one another to lean on. On a personal note, Sheriff Bowens was my friend. We established a bond as we were both elected in 1992. He never told me what I wanted to hear, but he always told me what he felt I needed to hear. I will be forever grateful for his fidelity and his friendship. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian and me along with the more than 765,000 people of Georgia's 2nd Congressional District in honoring the life and legacy of Sheriff John Bowens. Moreover, we extend our deepest sympathies to Sheriff Bowens' family, friends, loved ones and all those who grieve during this difficult time of bereavement. We pray that they will all be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks, and months ahead. May the life of Sheriff John Bowens be a beacon to those who follow: a call to serve without expectation of fame, to lead with humility, and to love without reservation. May he rest in peace, and may his memory be a blessing to us all. ____________________