“I thought that I was applying for The Times bookkeeping job,” said retired editor of The Times, Alma Bowen. In 1960, Alma Bowen moved to Hall County looking for a job. She quickly learned that the highest paying job for women was being a clerk at the Hall County Commission. Her daily routine was to have coffee at a local pharmacy before going to work at a financial agency. Alma wanted a job with the Hall County Commission and at that time, Hall County had only three commissioners. Knowing that, she interviewed for the clerk position and got it. She kept the books, did the public relations, as well as other things. Alma ended up being the only staff for the commission.
Alma left and went to work in two different secretarial jobs before she went to work for a law firm. While she was there she got word that The Times needed a bookkeeper. In 1970, she applied for what she thought was The Times bookkeeping job. While applying for the job, they asked her to interview and write about a person, any person. Alma had never written anything. So that night, she went home and wrote a story, eight different times. Later, she was asked to take a six-hour test at the Times. She never expected to hear back from them. The next day, she got a shocking phone call saying that she had been chosen to be Women’s Editor. This one job later led her to be promoted to regional editor in 1974. In 1980, she was named City Editor, which made her a host for the U.S. State Department. Being City Editor, she got the chance to host newspaper editors that were from all over the world. She hosted them from French speaking countries in Africa, the Communist party chairman of Czechoslovakia, an editor from South Korea and Finland’s chair of cultural affairs.
In 2002, Alma Bowen was named Executive Editor of The Gainesville Times. In 2004, she ended her amazing and very successful career at the age of 66.
We want to thank Alma Bowen for taking the time to share her amazing story with us and fellow members of our community.
Question: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
Answer: “ I am now retired from being the executive editor of the Gainesville Times.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County, and what do you love there?
A: “Olive Garden; the salad. I also love to go to independent restaurants that are locally owned.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Hall County?
A: “Lessie Smithgall. She’s 105 years old and still fascinating.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: “I would have to say Australia, just because I have never been, and I think that it would be a neat place. I also love anywhere that is a ‘developing country’.”
Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in theater?
A: “The first movie I remember seeing in a theater is the movie “Gone With the Wind” in the Clarksville Theatre. Back then, you didn’t have to leave the movie when it was over. You could stay and watch two or three or four showings until you wanted to leave. I remember always wanting to go back the next day to watch it again!! That’s how much I loved it!”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “I would say don’t fall for all social media documents, go to established news outlets that have done the proper research.”
Q: What is your favorite type of music?
A: “Any type of piano. I love it, it makes me happy.”
Q: Choosing anyone alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why this person? Where in Hall County would you have this lunch?
A: “President Barack and Michelle Obama. I would like to know what they are thinking. A quiet, good, acoustic place with no interruption. I would have to say Eat At Thai.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about Hall County?
A: “My favorite thing about Hall County is how down to earth the atmosphere is. I also love the diverse population.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
A: “Well, I wrote a book a little while ago, and I just finished writing a second book. I hope to be writing a third one in five years.”
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “I feel like everyone knows everything about me being that I worked for The Times and that there were many interviews on me and about my life, but some of those people don’t know that I am about to sell the house where I raised my children, which makes me very sad.”
Interview by Abernathy Cochran intern: Ashley Filson
The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live or work in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.
PROJECT PATRONS:
