James Craig 'Jim' Bowser

February 17, 2015 Last Updated: February 17, 2015 11:01 AM Death Notice

James Craig “Jim” Bowser, 81, of Bruin passed away Wednesday at VNA Inpatient Hospice in Butler.

He was born May 31, 1933, in Toby Township, Clarion County, the son of the late Earl Crispen Bowser and Sarah Evelyn Craig Bowser.

Jim attended Dutch Hill Elementary School and Parker High School.

He honorably served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, first working as a medical technician, then rising to the rank of staff sergeant. During his time in the Air Force, Jim was stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, Goose Bay in Labrador, Canada, Hill Air Force Base in Layton, Utah, and Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Mass.

After leaving the Air Force, Jim started working at Indspec and was employed there for 25 years until his retirement in 1998.

Family was the most important thing in his life, and he cherished the time spent with his grandchildren, children and other relatives.

Jim attended Faith Community Church, Fairview Campus, and enjoyed working on his 1930 Chevrolet sedan, hunting, bowling, camping and golfing.

He will be remembered with love by his wife, Dixie Lee Smith Bowser, who he married Nov. 5, 1957; his sons, Donald E. Timblin and his wife, Kim, of Slippery Rock and Randall James Bowser and his wife, June, of Emlenton; his daughters, Rhonda Rae Bowser and her husband, Terry, of Chicora, and Robin K. Marlowe of Rimersburg; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; numerous great-great-grandchildren; his brothers, Jerald Earl Bowser of Minneapolis, Minn., and the Rev. Richard E. “Rick” Bowser and his wife, Debbie, of Jefferson; and his sisters, Gloria Sullivan and her husband, Frank, of Emlenton, Mary Lou Delaney and her husband, James, of Clarion, and Rita Morrow and her husband, Richard, of North Washington.

In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his infant sisters, Shirley Joanne Bowser and Sarah Evelyn Bowser; his stepmother, Elizabeth Bowser, and his son-in-law, Terry Marlowe.

Bowser— Friends of James Craig “Jim” Bowser, who passed away Wednesday, Jan. 14 2015, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Bauer-Hillis Funeral Home, 102 Argyle St., Petrolia.Additional visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of funeral services at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home with the Rev. Floyd Barnhart and the Rev. Richard E. Bowser co-officiating.Military honors will be presented by American Legion Post 642 and VFW Post 7876. Burial will be in Bear Creek Cemetery, Petrolia.Contributions can be made in Jim's honor to Faith Community Church, P.O. Box 115, Bruin, PA 16022.Arrangements are by BAUER-HILLIS FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICES, Inc.To leave a condolence for Jim's family, visit www.bauerhillisfuneral.com.