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William Ellsworth Bowser
William Ellsworth "Bill" Bowser, age 85, died at Delaware Hospice Center in
Milford, DE on Friday, December 23, 2011, surrounded by his family.
He was born March 31, 1926, in Worthington, Pennsylvania, to the late Stanley
and Sarah Booher Bowser.
He graduated from Worthington High School in 1943.
In WW II, Bill served as a Hospital Corpsman on the U.S.S. Haven in San Diego,
California.
While back home on a leave, he saw the love of his life for the first time, the
former Martha Zeigler of Adrian, Pennsylvania, walking down the street. That
night, he told his mother that he just seen the woman he was going to marry.
True to his word, he and Martha were married in Cumberland, Maryland on June 15,
1946, just one week after his discharge from the Navy. The marriage lasted 65
years.
Bill obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees from Penn State University.
He maintained a love of Penn State, particularly its football team, his entire
life. Well into his seventies, he obtained his Ph. D. Bill taught physical and
health education in the Mount Pleasant School District for 27 years, after
teaching chemistry in Endeavor, Pennsylvania. For many summers, he was the
director of the Brandywine YMCA day camp. Following his retirement from
teaching, Bill worked in human resources for Easco Hand Tools in Springfield,
Massachusetts and Springdale, Arkansas. Bill and Martha operated Bil-Mar Trailer
Sales for many years, an extension of their love of the outdoors and RV'ing.
Bill was also an avid hunter.
Bill attended Kenton United Methodist Church. He was a 32nd degree freemason
and a member of the American Legion Post No. 14.
Bill is survived by his wife, Martha; his daughter Deborah Bussard and her
husband Rodney; his son William and his wife Maureen; his son Alan and his wife
Lisa; four grandchildren, Christy (Bee) Clendenin and Michael, Kelly, and Lauren
Bowser; and three great-grandsons, Zachary, Colby, and Jonathan Clendenin.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his infant son David;
his brother Millard; and his three sisters Gladys Mae Kilgore, Maude Bundy, and
Mabel Scanlon.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 26, 2011 at 1 pm in the Faries
Funeral Chapel, located at 29 S. Main St., Smyrna. Relatives and friends are
welcome at 11 am.
Interment in Duck Creek Presbyterian Churchyard, Smyrna, De.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Kenton United Methodist Church,
P.O. Box 188, Kenton, DE 19955 or Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriot's Way, Milford
DE 19963.
The family would like to the staffs of the Delaware Veterans Home and Delaware
Hospice Center for their help and support.
Arrangements by Faries Funeral Home, Smyrna, De. |
