Lamont Sonny Bowens

Sonny was born on April 11, 1948, in Benton Harbor to Richard Walker and Ernestine Bowens-Hodge. He was a graduate of Benton Harbor High School and Lake Michigan College. Sonny was a baseball coach and became a state certified baseball umpire in Michigan and Indiana. He umpired high school and college games, being recruited quite often to umpire the University of Notre Dame home games.

Sonny was a small business entrepreneur and was the Director of the Small Business Center at Lake Michigan College. He was also the Director of the Small Business Center at LMC. He owned Sonny’s Place in Benton Harbor and The Par #4 Lounge in Battle Creek. Sonny loved to play sports, especially baseball and golf and enjoyed watching tennis. Sonny was also a member of the Sons of the American Legion and the Masons. He will be missed by his family and all those who knew him.

His family includes 2 daughters, Amber (Brian) Smit of St. Joseph, and Denise Bell of Indianapolis; his 4 sisters, Carmen (Gail) Carrese of Baton Rouge, LA., Evelyn Hodge of Elkhart, IN., Victoria Johnson of Benton Harbor, and Ladonne (Brett) Jones of Walker. VA; his brother, Anthony Hodge of Tacoma, WA; and 5 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son, Matthew, in 1968.

A Celebration of Sonny’s Life will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 12:00 pm, at the Fairplain Chapel of Florin Funeral & Cremation Services in Benton Township. Rev. William Whitfield and William Gillespie are officiating. Friends and relatives may begin visiting at 11:00 am.

Memorials may be given to the Dignity Care Partners Hospice in Indianapolis.

Cremation has taken place and private burial will be held at a later date. Neptune Society has been entrusted with the cremation arrangements.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at: https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/indianapolis-in/lamont-bowens-13029292