Esther Bower

M. Esther Bower, LCSW, 73, passed before sunrise on March 16, 2023 at her home in the care of family and Hospice of Southern Kentucky. Esther earned her B. A. Psychology in 1971 from McPherson College and the degree Master of Social Work in 1981 from the University of Kentucky before making Bowling Green her home. Licensed in 1986 and Certified for Independent Private Practice in 1989, she earned a Diplomate in Clinical Social Work in 1994 satisfying the requirements for Advanced Clinical Social Work. Esther established the offices of Bower, Starks, and Reeves in April of 1994 and continued her education to become certified as a Marriage and Family Therapist in 1995. She earned recognition from the Kentucky Permanency Planning Task Force for Outstanding Contributions to the welfare of abused and neglected children across the Commonwealth of Kentucky; as well as, recognition from Western Kentucky University in 2005 as an Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member in the College of Health and Human Services Department of Social Work. Esther was beloved by colleagues and clients alike throughout her career retiring in 2018 after 32 years of service. Esther professed her faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and is preceded in death by her parents, Hiram and Eleanor Bower, and her brother, Stephen. She is survived by her oldest brother, David, and her sisters: Eleanor, Elizabeth, and Ruth. Esther's love of flowers caused her to create beautiful gardens wherever she lived. She loved birds and other animals and was devoted to her cats, always making sure they stayed inside the house as she especially cared for Bluebirds. Esther requested that any offerings of sympathy be made in her memory to the National Wildlife Federation at www. nwf. org