COUNTY LIFE
Search for tombstone’s home finally concludes
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/tombstone-for-web.jpg)
![two ladies with tombstone](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/two-ladies-with-tombstone-201x300.jpg)
(Left) Jeanette Findley and her mother, Jean Miller, the last remaining relative of Ila Mae’s generation, stand with the tombstone. (Photo by Dani Blackburn)
By DANI BLACKBURN
A little girl’s original 97-year-old tombstone is being returned to her grave after a decade’s long search for the owner.
The only little girl in a family full of boys, Ila Mae Miller was born April 21, 1911 as the oldest child of John and Dena Miller.
She passed away just shy of her eighth birthday on Jan. 16, 1919, from the Spanish Influenza. The autopsy showed the little girl had pneumonia in two of her lungs.
Her original tombstone, believed to have been stolen, sat in the evidence room of the old Montague County jailhouse. When the new jail was built in 1980, the tombstone was left behind in what became the Old Jail Museum.
The stone has sat all alone at the bottom of the metal staircase, waiting to be returned where it belonged.
That search was over this week as descendants traveled from Oregon to retrieve the stone for Ila Mae. Read the full feature in the weekend News.
Top photo: Jeanette Findley smiles as she touches her ancestor’s long lost tombstone. (Photo by Dani Blackburn)
COUNTY LIFE
Bowie, Nocona libraries wrap up summer reading this week
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1.jpg)
Local libraries wrap up their children’s summer reading programs this week.
The Bowie Public Library brings the popular Creature Teacher with all their spectacular animals for the final event on July 23 at the Bowie Community Center.
The program begins at 10 am. The children also will receive their prize books for their summer logs.
The Nocona Public Library ends its program at 10 a.m. on July 24 at the H.J. Justin Building at 100 Clay Street. The program will be “Our Own Action Heroes -” Nocona fire, police and EMTs.
Top photo – Smokey Bear visiting Bowie last week at summer reading.
COUNTY LIFE
Color added to outside kennels at Bowie Animal Shelter
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DSC_0081.jpg)
Rachel and Roger Whitaker gave this metal storage container a fresh look with this colorful mural at the Bowie Animal Shelter. (Photo by Barbara Green)
COUNTY LIFE
Youngsters attend swimming lessons this week
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DSC_0115-scaled.jpg)
Swim lessons for youngsters of all ages were conducted the past two weeks at the city pool. It was a good place to be during this summer heat. See more photos in the weekend News. (Photos by Barbara Green)
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jumping-off-the-board-970x1024.jpg)
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/learning-to-float-1024x967.jpg)
-
NEWS2 years ago
2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS8 months ago
Suspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS1 year ago
SO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS2 years ago
Wreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS12 months ago
Murder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS1 year ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
NEWS2 years ago
Bowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
-
NEWS2 years ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint