Born in Worden, Illinois, Bowles served in the United States Coast Guard Women's Reserve (SPAR) Intelligence Division during World War II.
She was appointed to the Illinois Senate in 1994 after the incumbent Sam M. Vadalabene died while still in office and served until 2003.
[1] In 2000, Bowles was the recipient of the Illinois Archaeology Public Service Award for her work in securing protection for more land on the site of the Cahokia Mounds, specifically the Sugarloaf property.
When I became the State Senator, it afforded me the opportunity to secure funds for the acquisition of additional acreage in which there are smaller Mounds.
[3]In 2005, Bowles presented a grant of $250,000 to the Cahokia Mounds Museum Society's Land Acquisition Committee to secure land surrounding the State Park Place area.