1922
John
2008
John 'Bill Bower
August 17, 1922 — May 19, 2008
John William (Bill) Bower, 85, of Overland Park, KS, passed away May 19, 2008 at Kansas City Hospice House.
Bill was born to Ralph and Freda Bower in Chanute, KS on Aug. 17, 1922. At the age of 7, his family moved to Colorado Springs, CO, where he spent the rest of his growing up years. He attended and graduated from Colorado A&M College with a degree in mechanical engineering.
His college years were interrupted by WWII. He served as a 1st Lt. in the Army Air Corps piloting B-24 bombers. Bill?s plane was hit forcing him to bail out. He landed in Bulgaria, where he spent a short time as a POW.
During his Army training he met Mary Elaine Fuhrmann of St. Louis, MO. They were married in April of 1944. Bill & Mary moved a lot and made friends easily wherever they went, especially through church and square dancing. They had a son Randy William and a daughter Marty Elaine. Mary died in Feb. of 2005 and Randy died in Jan. of 2003.
Bill spent the majority of his work life in the oil and gas industry in Liberal, KS, Illinois and Kansas City. He never lost his love for airplanes, building and ?fixing? projects, trying something new and being of service to friends, family and church. He was a member of Hillcrest Covenant Church.
He is survived by brothers Richard and Lance Bower, daughter Marty Elaine Hale, daughter-in-law Terry Beth Bower, granddaughters Christina Vannatta and Stacy Spears and grandson Matthew Chrisman and six great-grandchildren.
He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
Bill was born to Ralph and Freda Bower in Chanute, KS on Aug. 17, 1922. At the age of 7, his family moved to Colorado Springs, CO, where he spent the rest of his growing up years. He attended and graduated from Colorado A&M College with a degree in mechanical engineering.
His college years were interrupted by WWII. He served as a 1st Lt. in the Army Air Corps piloting B-24 bombers. Bill?s plane was hit forcing him to bail out. He landed in Bulgaria, where he spent a short time as a POW.
During his Army training he met Mary Elaine Fuhrmann of St. Louis, MO. They were married in April of 1944. Bill & Mary moved a lot and made friends easily wherever they went, especially through church and square dancing. They had a son Randy William and a daughter Marty Elaine. Mary died in Feb. of 2005 and Randy died in Jan. of 2003.
Bill spent the majority of his work life in the oil and gas industry in Liberal, KS, Illinois and Kansas City. He never lost his love for airplanes, building and ?fixing? projects, trying something new and being of service to friends, family and church. He was a member of Hillcrest Covenant Church.
He is survived by brothers Richard and Lance Bower, daughter Marty Elaine Hale, daughter-in-law Terry Beth Bower, granddaughters Christina Vannatta and Stacy Spears and grandson Matthew Chrisman and six great-grandchildren.
He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
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