An early resident of Murdo, Robert Milton Bowers, died on July 17 in his home city of Mesa, Arizona. He died of natural causes at the age of 93.
Bob, as he was known, as born on July 31, 1907, on a homestead north of Draper. His father was William D. Bowers, who later became the depot agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific railroad here.
Earlier, Bob's father was station agent at a number of other stations along the line, including Draper. There, young Bob had a pet cow he used to ride around, even into the depot when the train came through.
After attending South Dakota State and Purdue, Bob worked as a fireman on the railroad and later worked for the South Dakota Highway Department. He was on the survey crew of the highway through much of the Badlands near Wall.
Bob married one of the local teachers, Vava Hecht, in 1934. They moved to Los Angeles in 1935 where he worked in the grocery business for many years. He spent his last ten working years as a union business representative for Retail Clerks International, Local 324, Buena Park, California, before retiring in 1973.
After retirement, Bob and Vava spent many years traveling all 50 states of the Union and many foreign countries. They moved to Mesa in 1978.
A graduate of Murdo High School in the Class of 1926, Bob was a star member of its early athletic teams. A favorite story of his was how he helped defeat archrival Presho in football with a last-minute drop-kick for the winning extra point.
Mr. Bowers' mother, Clara, died at the age of 42 after a long illness. Five years later, his father married Constance Francis, a local widow and owner of the Francis Hardware here. Her three sons, John, William, and Charles joined the Bowers household in 1928. William Francis, now deceased, had a plumbing and heating business here for many years. Charles and his family recently visited Murdo for a brief family reunion.
Mr. Bowers was a 72-year Mason, having been initiated in 1929. The principles of Masonry were important to him all of his life.
Bob and his wife, Vava, returned to Murdo for visits many times during their 67 year marriage. The last time was the All-Class Reunion in 1998.
Mr. Bowers was preceded in death by a half-brother, Philip G. Bowers; he is survived by his widow, Vava; a brother William B. Bowers of Lakewood, California; a sister, Margarete Turner of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; a brother, Charles Francis, of Rye, New York; a daughter, Nadine Penn, of Mesa; and two grandchildren, Devin, of Lake Tahoe, California and Janelle Mettler, currently attending the University of California at Santa Cruz, California; three nephews Philip Bowers II, John, W.W. Bowers; and a niece Edith; and two grand-nephews, James and Michael Bowers. Interment will be at Forest Lawn in Cypress, California.
Vava Bowers can be contacted at 6220 E. Broadway Road, #310, Mesa, AZ 85206
[Obituary written for submission to the "Murdo Coyote" newspaper, Murdo, South Dakota, by Charles Francis in 2001]
[Info provided by Kate Kuzmich (#47342239)]
Bob, as he was known, as born on July 31, 1907, on a homestead north of Draper. His father was William D. Bowers, who later became the depot agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific railroad here.
Earlier, Bob's father was station agent at a number of other stations along the line, including Draper. There, young Bob had a pet cow he used to ride around, even into the depot when the train came through.
After attending South Dakota State and Purdue, Bob worked as a fireman on the railroad and later worked for the South Dakota Highway Department. He was on the survey crew of the highway through much of the Badlands near Wall.
Bob married one of the local teachers, Vava Hecht, in 1934. They moved to Los Angeles in 1935 where he worked in the grocery business for many years. He spent his last ten working years as a union business representative for Retail Clerks International, Local 324, Buena Park, California, before retiring in 1973.
After retirement, Bob and Vava spent many years traveling all 50 states of the Union and many foreign countries. They moved to Mesa in 1978.
A graduate of Murdo High School in the Class of 1926, Bob was a star member of its early athletic teams. A favorite story of his was how he helped defeat archrival Presho in football with a last-minute drop-kick for the winning extra point.
Mr. Bowers' mother, Clara, died at the age of 42 after a long illness. Five years later, his father married Constance Francis, a local widow and owner of the Francis Hardware here. Her three sons, John, William, and Charles joined the Bowers household in 1928. William Francis, now deceased, had a plumbing and heating business here for many years. Charles and his family recently visited Murdo for a brief family reunion.
Mr. Bowers was a 72-year Mason, having been initiated in 1929. The principles of Masonry were important to him all of his life.
Bob and his wife, Vava, returned to Murdo for visits many times during their 67 year marriage. The last time was the All-Class Reunion in 1998.
Mr. Bowers was preceded in death by a half-brother, Philip G. Bowers; he is survived by his widow, Vava; a brother William B. Bowers of Lakewood, California; a sister, Margarete Turner of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; a brother, Charles Francis, of Rye, New York; a daughter, Nadine Penn, of Mesa; and two grandchildren, Devin, of Lake Tahoe, California and Janelle Mettler, currently attending the University of California at Santa Cruz, California; three nephews Philip Bowers II, John, W.W. Bowers; and a niece Edith; and two grand-nephews, James and Michael Bowers. Interment will be at Forest Lawn in Cypress, California.
Vava Bowers can be contacted at 6220 E. Broadway Road, #310, Mesa, AZ 85206
[Obituary written for submission to the "Murdo Coyote" newspaper, Murdo, South Dakota, by Charles Francis in 2001]
[Info provided by Kate Kuzmich (#47342239)]
An early resident of Murdo, Robert Milton Bowers, died on July 17 in his home city of Mesa, Arizona. He died of natural causes at the age of 93.
Bob, as he was known, as born on July 31, 1907, on a homestead north of Draper. His father was William D. Bowers, who later became the depot agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific railroad here.
Earlier, Bob's father was station agent at a number of other stations along the line, including Draper. There, young Bob had a pet cow he used to ride around, even into the depot when the train came through.
After attending South Dakota State and Purdue, Bob worked as a fireman on the railroad and later worked for the South Dakota Highway Department. He was on the survey crew of the highway through much of the Badlands near Wall.
Bob married one of the local teachers, Vava Hecht, in 1934. They moved to Los Angeles in 1935 where he worked in the grocery business for many years. He spent his last ten working years as a union business representative for Retail Clerks International, Local 324, Buena Park, California, before retiring in 1973.
After retirement, Bob and Vava spent many years traveling all 50 states of the Union and many foreign countries. They moved to Mesa in 1978.
A graduate of Murdo High School in the Class of 1926, Bob was a star member of its early athletic teams. A favorite story of his was how he helped defeat archrival Presho in football with a last-minute drop-kick for the winning extra point.
Mr. Bowers' mother, Clara, died at the age of 42 after a long illness. Five years later, his father married Constance Francis, a local widow and owner of the Francis Hardware here. Her three sons, John, William, and Charles joined the Bowers household in 1928. William Francis, now deceased, had a plumbing and heating business here for many years. Charles and his family recently visited Murdo for a brief family reunion.
Mr. Bowers was a 72-year Mason, having been initiated in 1929. The principles of Masonry were important to him all of his life.
Bob and his wife, Vava, returned to Murdo for visits many times during their 67 year marriage. The last time was the All-Class Reunion in 1998.
Mr. Bowers was preceded in death by a half-brother, Philip G. Bowers; he is survived by his widow, Vava; a brother William B. Bowers of Lakewood, California; a sister, Margarete Turner of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; a brother, Charles Francis, of Rye, New York; a daughter, Nadine Penn, of Mesa; and two grandchildren, Devin, of Lake Tahoe, California and Janelle Mettler, currently attending the University of California at Santa Cruz, California; three nephews Philip Bowers II, John, W.W. Bowers; and a niece Edith; and two grand-nephews, James and Michael Bowers. Interment will be at Forest Lawn in Cypress, California.
Vava Bowers can be contacted at 6220 E. Broadway Road, #310, Mesa, AZ 85206
[Obituary written for submission to the "Murdo Coyote" newspaper, Murdo, South Dakota, by Charles Francis in 2001]
[Info provided by Kate Kuzmich (#47342239)]
Bob, as he was known, as born on July 31, 1907, on a homestead north of Draper. His father was William D. Bowers, who later became the depot agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific railroad here.
Earlier, Bob's father was station agent at a number of other stations along the line, including Draper. There, young Bob had a pet cow he used to ride around, even into the depot when the train came through.
After attending South Dakota State and Purdue, Bob worked as a fireman on the railroad and later worked for the South Dakota Highway Department. He was on the survey crew of the highway through much of the Badlands near Wall.
Bob married one of the local teachers, Vava Hecht, in 1934. They moved to Los Angeles in 1935 where he worked in the grocery business for many years. He spent his last ten working years as a union business representative for Retail Clerks International, Local 324, Buena Park, California, before retiring in 1973.
After retirement, Bob and Vava spent many years traveling all 50 states of the Union and many foreign countries. They moved to Mesa in 1978.
A graduate of Murdo High School in the Class of 1926, Bob was a star member of its early athletic teams. A favorite story of his was how he helped defeat archrival Presho in football with a last-minute drop-kick for the winning extra point.
Mr. Bowers' mother, Clara, died at the age of 42 after a long illness. Five years later, his father married Constance Francis, a local widow and owner of the Francis Hardware here. Her three sons, John, William, and Charles joined the Bowers household in 1928. William Francis, now deceased, had a plumbing and heating business here for many years. Charles and his family recently visited Murdo for a brief family reunion.
Mr. Bowers was a 72-year Mason, having been initiated in 1929. The principles of Masonry were important to him all of his life.
Bob and his wife, Vava, returned to Murdo for visits many times during their 67 year marriage. The last time was the All-Class Reunion in 1998.
Mr. Bowers was preceded in death by a half-brother, Philip G. Bowers; he is survived by his widow, Vava; a brother William B. Bowers of Lakewood, California; a sister, Margarete Turner of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; a brother, Charles Francis, of Rye, New York; a daughter, Nadine Penn, of Mesa; and two grandchildren, Devin, of Lake Tahoe, California and Janelle Mettler, currently attending the University of California at Santa Cruz, California; three nephews Philip Bowers II, John, W.W. Bowers; and a niece Edith; and two grand-nephews, James and Michael Bowers. Interment will be at Forest Lawn in Cypress, California.
Vava Bowers can be contacted at 6220 E. Broadway Road, #310, Mesa, AZ 85206
[Obituary written for submission to the "Murdo Coyote" newspaper, Murdo, South Dakota, by Charles Francis in 2001]
[Info provided by Kate Kuzmich (#47342239)]
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