GILBERT W. BOWEN

Funeral services for Gilbert W. Bowen, 87, of Aurelia, will be 10:30 A.M. Monday, March 21, 2016, at the First United Methodist Church in Aurelia, with Pastor Thomas Petersen officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia. Visitation will be Sunday from 2:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. at the Church. The Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of arrangements.
Gilbert William Bowen was born January 22, 1929, at Lake City, Minnesota, the only son of Glen and Marie (Gilbert) Bowen. He attended school in Lake City, graduating in 1947. On October 22, 1950 Gilbert married Betty Jean Johnson of Alta at the Little Brown Church at Nashua, IA. He was then drafted into the United States Army in 1951. Gilbert worked in retail sales and later owned and operated Bowen’s Clover Farm Grocery Store in Aurelia for several years. Gilbert was a master at catering BBQ Feeds, always having promotions going like Canyon Kid judging Jack o’ Lantern contests, Minnesota Twins pitcher Jim “Mud Cat” Grant signing autographs, and gave away a monkey named “Jocko” in a drawing. He was a tireless promoter of Aurelia, having served on the Aurelia City Council and on the committee to organize Sunset Knoll Retirement Home in Aurelia. While operating the Grocery Store Gilbert also sold and rented campers which the family used for many memorable vacations, and later sold dog food for Simonsen’s. He retired in 1995. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Legion, and Kiwanis. He enjoyed electric trains, going to train shows, buying and selling trains, and playing cards.
Gilbert died Wednesday, March 16, 2016, at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center in Cherokee, IA.
Preceding Gilbert in death were his parents, and one sister, Dorothy Harding.
Survivors include his wife Betty of Aurelia, three children; Craig Bowen of Mankato, MN, Jeff and his wife Maria Bowen and Jan and her husband Warren Mitchell all of Aurelia, six grandchildren; Sarah and husband Chris Ewert of Rochester, MN, Scott and wife Kara Bowen of Harrisburg, SD, Glen and wife Janae Bowen of Norwalk, Jenny Bowen of West Des Moines, Katie and husband John Edwards of Correctionville, and Lisa Mitchell of Cherokee, and six great-grandchildren; Carson, MaKinlee and Gracelynn Edwards, Brinley Bowen, Tyler Ewert, and Jaxon Erkes. Also surviving are two sisters, Marge Hanson of Lake City, MN, and Lois and husband Bob Fenwick of Dayton, OH, and nieces, nephews and many friends.