William K Bowen

William K. Bowen, age 87, passed away on October 20, 2015 surrounded by his loving family. Born on June 19, 1928 to Juanita (Martin) and Hallie Bowen in Dexter, Ohio. He served in the U.S. Navy as a Petty Officer 3rd Class-Boatswain during WWII, and toured the Pacific Theatre. Bill married Rosalie K. Doogs on August 26th, 1950. He worked 42 years for the CSX Railroad at the Toledo Presque Isle docks where he retired as General Foreman in 1990. Upon retiring he began to travel with his wife in their motorhome and spent the winters down in Alabama. Bill enjoyed walking around with his metal detector seeing what treasures he could find. In 1996, he lived his life-long dream of owning a tavern, and called it “Bitter Bills” in Walbridge. “Bitter Bills” soon became a fun spot for all his family and friends with “Wednesday Steak Nights”, and his favorite was” Tuesday’s Old Fart Club” which Bill founded. Once he sold the tavern he turned his focus on helping the Walbridge VFW Post 9963 create and remodel their banquet hall and helped serve on the Honor Guard. Bill loved to squirrel hunt in the fall, usher for Saturday mass at St. Jerome’s and spend time with family up at Clark Lake, Michigan. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother and two sisters, his wife of 54 years, and his grandson Jeffrey. Left to cherish his memory are his sons, Kenneth, Larry (Karen) Bowen of Auburn, Indiana; daughters, Melanie (Mike Greenwald) Bowen, Rochelle (John) Akens of Temperance, Michigan and Tammy (Jeff) Hendricks; grandchildren, Corey (Brooke), Ryan (Robin), Shayne, Lindsay, Ryan, Aubrey, William, Wyatt, Madison and Ross; great-grandchildren, Kiya, Connor, Makayla, Jase, Gabrielle, Maria, Leihland, and Carter; and one great-great-grandchild, Decklynn. The family would like to say thank you to the special caregivers who spent precious time with our father-Joyce, Julie, Tana, Amanda, Sara, Bob and Kathy, and to the outstanding women of Visiting Angels who came every weekend. A very special thank you to all the loving and caring staff at Hospice of Northwest Ohio-Perrysburg. Thank you for the lovely ladies in the Threshold Choir who stopped by his room and brought him peace. Friends will be received at the Witzler-Shank Funeral Home, 701 North Main Street, Walbridge, Ohio 43465 (419-666-3121) on Sunday, October 25, 2015 from 2-8:00 pm. with Rosary Services starting at 7:00 pm. immediately followed by a VFW Service. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am. on Monday, October 26, 2015 at St. Jerome Catholic Church, 300 Warner Street, Walbridge, Ohio with Father Eric Schild, officiating. Burial will be in Lake Township Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be directed to Hospice of Northwest Ohio for the loving care they gave to him.