1914
John
2007
John A. Bower
April 19, 1914 — November 13, 2007
SALIX, Iowa -- John A. Bower, 93, of Salix died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007, at Holy Spirit Retirement Home in Sioux City following a lengthy illness.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Salix Community United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Deborah Stowers of Community United Methodist Church in Sergeant Bluff, officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Sioux City, with military rites conducted by the U.S. Navy Honor Guard. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with a Masonic service at 7 p.m., at Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel. Condolences may be sent online to www.christysmith.com .
John was born April 19, 1914, in Sioux City, the son of O.T. and Alice (Smith) Bower. The family lived in the rural Siouxland area. Then moved to Sioux City as a young man. He graduated from the eighth grade.
He married Frances F. Betsworth on Aug. 5, 1938, in Pender, Neb. He lived in Sioux City for a number of years. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was recalled for the Korean Conflict. After his second term in the U.S. Navy, the family lived in California from 1953 to 1961. They returned to Sioux City, then moved to Salix in 1970.
He was employed as a truck driver for Watson Transportation Co. He then became a heavy equipment operator while in California for the Interstate Highway System. Following his return to Sioux City, he went to work for Sioux Transportation until his retirement in 1972.
He was a member of Salix Community United Methodist Church. He was a 50-year member of the Attica Lodge 505 A.F. & A.M. of Sloan, Iowa. He was a member of the Abu Bekr Shrine Temple, the Abu Bekr Cycle Corps, a 39 year member of the Scottish Rite and a 32nd Degree Master of the Royal Secret. He was good with his hands and did woodworking and tinkered with autos. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. The couple enjoyed camping and would go south to Donna, Texas, in the winter.
Survivors include his wife, Frances F. Bower of Salix; a daughter, La Donna and Val Smith, both of Chino, Calif.; a son and his wife, Larry and Nancy Bower of South Sioux City; two brothers and their wives, Lester "Pete" and Elaine Bower of Winter Haven, Fla., and Bill and Dee Bower of Sioux City; three sisters, Esther and her husband, Ray Hoeck of Sabin, Minn., Shirley and her husband, Clyde Edwards of Sioux City and Betty Kuhlmeier of Baton Rouge, La.; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant brother, George; and three sisters, Juanita Perkins, Virginia Hoppe and Hazel Bramble.
Pallbearers will be Payne Sargisson, Leland Sargisson, Maylon Chartier, Phil Hane Jr., Wallace Parker and Eugene Kelly.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Salix Community United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Deborah Stowers of Community United Methodist Church in Sergeant Bluff, officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Sioux City, with military rites conducted by the U.S. Navy Honor Guard. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with a Masonic service at 7 p.m., at Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel. Condolences may be sent online to www.christysmith.com .
John was born April 19, 1914, in Sioux City, the son of O.T. and Alice (Smith) Bower. The family lived in the rural Siouxland area. Then moved to Sioux City as a young man. He graduated from the eighth grade.
He married Frances F. Betsworth on Aug. 5, 1938, in Pender, Neb. He lived in Sioux City for a number of years. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was recalled for the Korean Conflict. After his second term in the U.S. Navy, the family lived in California from 1953 to 1961. They returned to Sioux City, then moved to Salix in 1970.
He was employed as a truck driver for Watson Transportation Co. He then became a heavy equipment operator while in California for the Interstate Highway System. Following his return to Sioux City, he went to work for Sioux Transportation until his retirement in 1972.
He was a member of Salix Community United Methodist Church. He was a 50-year member of the Attica Lodge 505 A.F. & A.M. of Sloan, Iowa. He was a member of the Abu Bekr Shrine Temple, the Abu Bekr Cycle Corps, a 39 year member of the Scottish Rite and a 32nd Degree Master of the Royal Secret. He was good with his hands and did woodworking and tinkered with autos. He enjoyed fishing and hunting. The couple enjoyed camping and would go south to Donna, Texas, in the winter.
Survivors include his wife, Frances F. Bower of Salix; a daughter, La Donna and Val Smith, both of Chino, Calif.; a son and his wife, Larry and Nancy Bower of South Sioux City; two brothers and their wives, Lester "Pete" and Elaine Bower of Winter Haven, Fla., and Bill and Dee Bower of Sioux City; three sisters, Esther and her husband, Ray Hoeck of Sabin, Minn., Shirley and her husband, Clyde Edwards of Sioux City and Betty Kuhlmeier of Baton Rouge, La.; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant brother, George; and three sisters, Juanita Perkins, Virginia Hoppe and Hazel Bramble.
Pallbearers will be Payne Sargisson, Leland Sargisson, Maylon Chartier, Phil Hane Jr., Wallace Parker and Eugene Kelly.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John A. Bower, please visit our flower store.
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