Cynthia Spencer Young Bowman, of Columbus, Georgia, died peacefully in her sleep on August 27, 2024. She was the perfect Southern lady and hostess, always impeccably dressed and ready for a good conversation.

She was the epitome of a devoted wife, mother, and "Mommie C" to her treasured grandchildren Hunter, Sarah, James, and Fletcher. Cynthia's love for her family was evident in every poached pear and pound cake she made, and her gentle smile never failed to light up every room she entered.

Cynthia had deep Georgia roots. Born on October 31, 1938, in Columbus, Georgia, to Laura Spencer Waddell Young and William Hall Young, Jr, an attorney, former state legislator, and community leader. The great-great-granddaughter of Columbus industrialist and patriarch William Henry Young, Cynthia was proud to be a fifth-generation Columbusite. She attended boarding school at Saint Mary's in Raleigh, North Carolina. After graduating in 1958, she attended Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia, receiving a B.A. in English.

In 1955, she met "that boy," U.S. Army First Lieutenant Donald Campbell Bowman, who, after six and a half years of determined courtship and two proposals, finally persuaded her to wed him. They were married at Trinity Episcopal Church in Columbus on April 8, 1961. They shared the next 60 years, enjoying life and moving all over the country with their beloved sons, Cam and Andrew. After retiring from military life in 1977, the couple returned to Columbus.

Cynthia was an active member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America and served as a docent at George Mason's Gunston Hall in Virginia. She was also a member and sustainer of the Junior League of Columbus.

Cynthia was an avid gardener and a member of the Tea Olives Garden Club, and she grew prize-winning camellias. She taught herself how to cook by making every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering The Art of French Cooking–a present from Don. She kept Don well-fed and well-dressed (with the help of her cousin Elliot Waddell and Chancellor’s Mens Store). Cynthia was a talented artist, potter, and an excellent seamstress. Her grandchildren adored the costumes she made for them. She had a lifelong aversion to math, using it only when mixing pottery glazes or following a recipe.

Cynthia was a consummate hostess. She was the Martha Stewart of her generation before the lifestyle brand rose to fame, and she did it all herself. Together with Don, they welcomed many friends, family members, and foreign exchange officers into their homes through the years. Beyond that, she was so gracious, all that was beautiful radiated from her. And she built a beautiful life for her family and herself. She educated herself on antiques and had a good eye for art and fine furnishings. Don spent many Saturday afternoons moving heavy things around until she found the right arrangement. She protected her family and the life she built. Her gentle manner was like a velvet glove over the iron fist of her resolve.

A devout Anglican, she was raised in the Episcopal church. Cynthia was a founding member and patron of St George's Anglican Church in Columbus and a founding member and patron of St James the Great Anglican Church in Smiths Station, Alabama. She led the way to the purchase of the beautiful church and property. Her flower arrangements beautified the worship services. Morning Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer formed a deep Christian devotion and framework throughout her life.

She is survived by her two beloved sons, Donald Campbell (Catherine) Bowman Jr of Savannah and James Andrew Young (Charlotte) Bowman of Columbus, and her four grandchildren, Hunter Hall (Alexis) Bowman of Birmingham, Sarah Bowman (David) Riddle of Cincinnati, James McMullen Bowman and George Fletcher Bowman of Columbus, and many more loving nieces, nephews and relatives.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Don, her parents, and her brother, William Hall Young III of Columbus.

Many thanks and much love go to her devoted caregivers at Spanish Oaks Retreat in Savannah and the many friends and family who supported her through her illness, especially her cousin Elliott Waddell, who was a faithful visitor in Cynthia's later years.

Visitation will be held at McMullen Funeral Home, Columbus, on Friday, August 30, 2024, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. (E.T.). A graveside service will be held at Linwood Cemetery on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (E.T.). The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to “The Lofty Project” at St James the Great Anglican Church (Smiths Station, Alabama) or the Spanish Oaks Foundation Inc. (https://spanishoakshospice.com/giving-back/ ).