Monday would have been Tara Reistad Bowman's 37 birthday. But instead of celebrating, her family mourned the loss of a woman they remember as a beautiful, selfless person.

Mrs. Bowman's mother, Skip, said her daughter's beauty was just a mirror of what was inside.

Skip said she was e-mailing back and forth with Tara on Thursday morning, the morning of the explosion that rocked downtown Bozeman. Skip said the two were discussing a shared birthday party they were planning for Tara and one of her nephews.

The Bozeman resident was an employee of Montana Trails Gallery and was in the building at the time of the explosion. The gallery was one of the businesses destroyed in the blast.

Mrs. Bowman's body was been positively identified by dental records, according to the Gallatin County Sheriff's Department. Her body was recovered by searchers shortly after noon Sunday.

She was married to Chris Bowman, the son of Larry and Marcia Bowman, owners of Owenhouse Ace Hardware stores.    

One of Mrs. Bowman's best friends, Erika Brunner, was on the phone with her, talking about an upcoming trip go to Hawaii planned for her birthday. The two were laughing and wondering what presents Erika had bought for her.

Then, at about 8:15 a.m., the phone went dead.

Brunner assumed she got cut off. She said she tried to call back several times.

Later, Brunner said she saw some pictures on television and she started making phone calls.

Mrs. Bowman's family said she wasn't really artistic, but she worked at the art gallery for 10 years and her success there was tuning into people.

Mrs. Bowman was the youngest of five children and the only daughter with four older brothers.

Her mother said Monday that she was proud of all of her children and when she brought her daughter home, the oldest of her four brothers, Chett, was sitting on the floor, his arms out open, waiting to hold her. Her mother said the boys spoiled her rotten and were very protective of her.     

Her brother, Will, said she loved children and although she and her husband Chris did not have children yet, she loved all the nieces and nephews like her own.    

Her youngest brother, Cory, remembered his sister as a selfless person, disciplined, soft and open, but who could also be tough.

Will said when their dad was killed in February 2004, she was the one who became the anchor to get the family through the tragedy.     

Skip also remembers her daughter as a prankster who liked to laugh.

Skip said some of the family saw two white clouds Monday morning with a rainbow in the middle and like to think it could have been Tara with two angels by her side.

Funeral details and memorial plans are pending.