Gilbert Dudley Bowers
July 18, 1922 ~ August 29, 2011
G. Dudley Bowers, 89, of Princeton died at 7:40 a.m. Monday, Aug. 29, 2011, at Proctor Hospital in Peoria. Born July 18, 1922, in North Vernon, Ind., to Gilbert W. and EvaLeigh (Spencer) Bowers, he married M. Elaine Burress May 31, 1946, in Tiskilwa. She survives. The Bowers'' moved from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to Tiskilwa in 1929 where Dudley attended school and graduated from Tiskilwa High School in 1941. Excelling in music and athletics, he lettered all four years in all three sports and was an all-state running back in 1940. Briefly attending Knox College, he joined the U.S. Marines in January 1942 with service on Tulagi, Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima, serving in the 1st, 2nd and 4th Divisions and earning a Purple Heart. He farmed for a few years and then worked as a Local 150 Operating Engineer. He was a proud Master Mason with Princeton Lodge 587 for 50 years. He was a member of the Scottish Rite Consistory and the Peoria Shrine. Dudley enjoyed years with the Barbershoppers. He was a former member of the Tiskilwa Methodist Church and Tiskilwa Mennonite Church. He espescially appreciated the Metro Center arthritis classes and cherished his friends there. Also surviving are two sons, Rodney J. (Nancy) Bowers of Lewistown and Gregory A. (Gail) Bowers of Tiskilwa; three grandchildren, Brian (Jennifer) Bowers of Lewistown, Branden (Lisa) Bowers of Mark and Andrew (Alison) Bowers of San Tan Valley, Ariz.; three great-grandchildren, Amilia, Matthew and Brody Bowers; and two special friends, CJ and Matthew. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Dorthey Frantzen. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Grant-Johnson Funeral Home, Princeton, with the Rev. Carl Johnson and the Rev. Marvin Claassen officiating. Burial will be in Mount Bloom Cemetery, Tiskilwa. Military rites will be conducted by the U.S. Marine Corps and local Masons will conduct Masonic rites. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the Shriners Hospital for Children or the donor''s choice.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
How well I remember growing-up across the road from Gib and EvaLeigh as a kid, and the number of times I saw Dudley. Lots of good memories of days gone bye. God bless you Elaine, Rod and Greg.
Elaine,
Mary Jo called this morning having received the news. Both of us are deeply sadened to learn of this. We enjoyed our visits with the two of you a great deal. We only wish it could have been more frequent. Although we will not be able to be there now you all have our deepest condolences. Dudley was a great man and we will miss him and our talks.
John & Taeko, Okinawa, Japan.
Elaine,
So sorry to hear of Dudley’s passing, but I hope you can take comfort in knowing he and my Grandmother Dorthey are now together watching over their families, as I know she was there waiting for her brother. God Bless.
Ma’am,
I am so sorry and I want you to know I am thinking of you and what you and your family must be going through right now. Please accept my condolences. I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you. I’m sorry I never had a chance to meet Mr Bowers, but I would have loved to have met him. My thoughts are with you and your family at this sad time.
Semper Fidelis,
GySgt Jorge DeLosRios
4th Marines, 3d Marine Divison
Elaine,
I am sorry to hear of Dudley’s passing. I truly enjoyed visiting you both when we were in town and if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have know our Bowers Family history. For that I am truly greatful. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
So sorry to hear about Dudley. I remember when I was in high school and we had a ‘father/daughter’ event, Dudley got to be my Dad. Always appreciated such great neighbors! May God comfort you at this time.
Our deepest sympathy to you in the loss of Dudley. It was always so interesting to hear him tell of the Bowers’ history – something we would have never known w/out his interest in the ancestry. God bless you all.
We are sorry to hear of your loss. Our deepest sympathy to you and your family.