Etta Joe Ballard Bowles, age 84, of Broadway in Irvine, passed away Sunday, December 7, 2025, at the Compassionate Care Center in Richmond following a short illness. She was born May 1, 1941, in Clark County, and was the daughter of the late Otis Ballard and Mattie McIntosh Macy. She was a former Medical Records Transcriptionist and a member of the Friendship Baptist Church. She was an Estill County Native and came back to Estill County in 1995. She was preceded in death by her husband, Johnny March Bowles, and she is survived by:
3 daughters: Alma “Amie” (David) Burgher - Washington
Margaret (Bob) Varner - Richmond
Mary Anna (Nick) Byers - Lancaster, Ohio
2 sons: Franklin “Dale” (Kelli) Stone Jr. - Richmond
Jonathan “David” (Sondra) Stone - Irvine
3 step-daughters
2 sisters: Georgia Samples - Richmond
Phyllis Mitchell - Florida
2 brothers: Jack Macy - Irvine
Lloyd Macy - Richmond
14 grandchildren and numerous great and great-great grandchildren
In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by 1 brother, Eddie Ballard.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, December 12, 10 AM, at the Friendship Baptist Church with Bro. Scott Rogers officiating. Burial will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Nicholasville. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 6 to 9 PM at the Warren F. Toler Funeral Home.
