BOWERS, Elmer F. 1904-1990

BOWERS

Posted By: Jeannine Peterson (email)
Date: 10/2/2016 at 19:23:16

Elmer F. Bowers, 85, of Grafton, died Thursday, April 12, 1990, at Good Shepherd Nursing Home, Mason City.

Funeral services were held Monday at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton, with the Rev. Gregory Bjornstad officiating. Burial was in the Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City.

Mr. Bowers was born May 12, 1904, at Waucoma, to William S. and Della (Mullen) Bowers. At an early age his parents moved to North Dakota and lived there for 10 years, later returning to Hawkeye. He attended school at Alpha. Following his schooling he moved to Nora Springs to farm with his aunt and uncle.

He married Gladys Benedict on December 1, 1925, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. They lived in Mason City for 20 years operating the Schermerhorn Dairy. In 1949 he bought control of the Farmers State Bank at Grafton, operating the bank until retiring in the late 1960's. He enjoyed gardening and working with flowers and traveling by trailer and motorcoach. He was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Grafton.

Survivors include his wife, Gladys of Grafton; two daughters, Clarice (Jack) Venechuk and Joy (Jerry) Buechele both of Grafton; one son, A.D. "Bud" (Coke) Bowers, Scottsdale, AZ, one sister, Dorothy (Ray) Decker, Mason City; one brother, Howard Bowers, Casa Grande, AZ; seven grandchildren, Cindy Retterath, Grafton; Terry "Sam" Venechuk, Northwood; Sara Buechele, Ames; Andy Buechele, Austin, MN; Tracy Fossey, St. Ansgar; Pam Thompson, Pleasant Hill, CA; and Eric Bowers, Scottsdale, AZ; 10 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Archie and Loren Bowers.

Mason City Globe Gazette