Peggy Alexander Bowling Peggy Alexander Bowling, 89 passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 15, 2025.
She was born on August 18, 1935, at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital to the late Lennie Sanderson Alexander and Percy Howard Alexander. She attended Leighton Elementary School and Colbert County High School. She graduated from Florence State Teachers College, now known as the University of North Alabama, where she met some of her lifelong and dearest friends.
Upon graduation she married her high school sweetheart, John Brooks Bowling on December 8, 1956. in the Leighton Methodist Church. The newlyweds moved to Memphis, Tennessee where Peggy taught 4th grade for six weeks and decided teaching was not for her. She quickly found what would become her life vocation by taking a job at a florist in the Germantown area of Memphis. Upon moving back to Leighton, Peggy began working as a secretary at Reynolds Aluminum before becoming a mother.
In 1968 Peggy and Brooks purchased The Flower Box in Leighton from the founder Helen Lile. For the next 15 years Peggy grew the business beyond flowers to encompass gifts and decorative accessories that continue to grace many of the homes in the Shoals area. Kindred spirits in their love for plants and gardening, Peggy and Brooks built greenhouses at their home and Brooks grew many of the plants that Peggy sold at The Flower Box.
She was passionate about her community and was a member of The Muscle Shoals District Service League, the Leighton Civic Club, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, and The Tennessee Valley Art Center and for many years a regular volunteer at the Leighton Public Library. Peggy was one of the founders of the King Cemetery Association as the treasurer for over 30 years. She was a member of Sheffield Methodist Church.
During retirement, Peggy and Brooks took many memorable trips across the United States, Canada, and Europe making new friends along the way. Every trip involved visiting memorable gardens and cemeteries.
Peggy was a survivor of childhood polio and was a lifelong advocate for vaccinations. She lived a full and very active life and never let her disability define her.
Peggy found so much joy in her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her daughter, Lynn Bowling Amoroso and husband Gregory Scott Amoroso of Decatur, Georgia, her son John Gregory Bowling and wife Casey Austin Bowling of Leighton, Alabama, and grandchildren Joseph John Amoroso and Corey Cronin, Delray Beach, Florida, Brooks Martin Amoroso and wife Alexandra Turano Amoroso, Marietta, Georgia, Dawson Brook Bowling, and McCoy Brooks Bowling and cousins Dana Sanderson Holden, Boone, North Carolina, and Julie Sanderson Kravec, Montgomery, Alabama.
The pallbearers will be Brooks Amoroso, Joseph Amoroso, Lance Austin, Fabien Nance, Matt Gargis, and Mike Gargis. Honorary pallbearers will be Gordon Fennel, Mark Fennel, and Jimmy King.
The family is especially grateful to Ann Wellborn for her friendship, devotion, care, and deep love for Peggy over the past 7 years. We are also grateful for the additional support of Deb Nance and Juanita Holland.
The service will be held on Monday, May 19 at 11:00 a.m. at Sheffield Methodist Church, with visitation to precede the service beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary. Burial to follow at King Cemetery, King Bridge Road, Leighton. A reception will follow at the Bowling home.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Leighton Public Library, Leighton United Methodist Church, Sheffield Methodist Church or a charity of your choice.
