LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – An Ole Miss graduate, Benjamin Edwards Bowie, Jr., has called Lafayette home for the past 20 years.  

The other 80 years of his life? He was born in Mississippi and spent his life there until he moved to New Orleans and then Lafayette in 2002. “We moved here because our children went to college here and we loved it,” Bowie stated.

Benjamin finds Lafayette to be a place of friendly people. He says everybody who is supposed to be your friend is. “Regardless of your affiliation, race, creed, color, school or church,” Bowie added. 

Benjamin and his wife, who is deceased, had three sons who gave them four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. “I am a lucky man. They all came in for my birthday. We didn’t have the Easter Egg Hunt; we had the old man’s celebration.”

After the war he went back home to Mississippi. “I was a school principal for a couple of years, because I had a college degree that was the only qualification I had.” He went to work for the airline, then got transferred to New Orleans. He started working for a building service company, from there he started his own service company. “I retired in 1991. I’ve been retired, probably older than you are,” Benjamin said.

Benjamin’s advice about life is to stay safe, calm and keep breathing. “Get lucky to get all the good genes in the family and enjoy yourself. Life is too short.”

Furthermore, do not sweat the little stuff. “Stay calm, don’t sweat it, it will pass,” Bowie explained. “We made it through the Depression, I did luckily.  We made it through the war and we made it through ups and downs, we’ll make it. I hope this country gets back together. We are too divided.”