‘I don’t know where I would be now if I didn’t meet her’

“I want this to be a celebration of her life.”

Those are the words of Shelly Jack, as she reflected on the death of her mother Patricia Jack-Bowman, who was crushed to death in her car last Friday, when a retaining wall at Ratho Mill collapsed on her.{{more}}

Shelly, who is a school principal in St Martin, United States Virgin Islands, was Patricia’s only biological child.

Patricia and her husband Alban Bowman had an adopted son, Arnold King.

Shelly told SEARCHLIGHT that last Friday, she did something that she hardly did, which was to call her mother and Alban early in the morning.

“I saw that the weather was terrible and I heard that a weather pattern was passing through, so I called to make sure that they were alright,” Shelly said.

Shelly, 43, said that she will always remember her mother’s love for life, giving spirit, and her infectious laugh.

She recalled visiting Nigeria in the early 80s when her mother lived there with her former husband and learning an invaluable lesson-the appreciation for life.

Shelly said that as she toured the poorer parts of the country and saw the way some people lived, she saw how important it was to be thankful for what she had – a lesson that her mother certainly wanted to teach her.

Meanwhile, Frances Layne, of Riley, worked with Jack-Bowman, a woman, who didn’t just give her a job, but a new lease on life.

She recalled that when she was pregnant with her two-year-old daughter, her life was very messed up, that is, until she met Jack-Bowman.

Jack-Bowman had met Layne sitting at a gap at Villa, looking frustrated, and reached out to her, offering her a job on the spot.

“I don’t know where I would be now if I didn’t meet her,” Layne said.

The wall that fell and ended Jack-Bowman’s life was the property of Alex and Lisa Jack.

When SEARCHLIGHT contacted them, Lisa said that she and her family were hurt by what took place.

“We are in shock. our hearts go out to them (the Bowman family),” she said.

She told SEARCHLIGHT that her family knows about the investigation that has been launched and like everyone else will be waiting for the outcome of that investigation. (KJ)