Thelma "Oleta" Bowers was born April 5, 1919 in Olney, Texas, to Fletcher and Sallie Una Oliphant Holcomb. She went to be with her Lord and Savior on March 10, 2018.

Oleta attended grade school in Haskell, Texas and high school in Paducah, Texas. In 1938 she married Walter Gavlik in Alice, Texas. They had two sons and one daughter. They lived in Odessa for many years where Oleta attended Belmont Baptist Church and worked at the Dunlap Company. Walter passed away in 1967.

In 1969 she married Cecil Bowers, who gave her two stepsons, and they moved to Haskell. Cecil died in 1988. Oleta moved to Denton in 2005 to be near her daughter, Shirley Hardaway. She joined Highland Baptist Church where she was a much-loved and active member.

To family, she was known by many titles: Mother, Granny, Great Nana, Granny O, and Gigi. She enjoyed visiting with her neighbors and friends and was a kind hostess and competitive domino player. She looked forward to special times and outings with her Denton niece, Sharon Murphy.

She is survived by her daughter, Shirley Hardaway and husband Bob; sons, Randall Gavlik and wife Shelley; Gary Gavlik and wife Sherry; stepson Phil Bowers and wife Lynn and daughter-in-law Jerry Bowers. She was very proud of her 11 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her two sisters, Lorene Nichols and Marie Marr and by her step-son, Jim Bowers.

Visitation will be at 1:00 P.M. on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 followed by the memorial service at 2:00 P.M. Both will be held at Highland Baptist Church, 600 Thomas Street, Denton. Burial will be on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 1:00 P.M. at Willow Cemetery in Haskell.

Memorials may be given in her honor to the Highland Baptist Church Building Fund.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. II Timothy 4:7