Condolence: Cindy & family,
I just read of the passing of your father. You have my sincerest condolences, and are in my thoughts & lprayers.

Condolence: So you know that we laid my Pappy Bowery to rest this week. Now that I have had time to process this all I need to share and pass a message on to my family. On Wednesday I got a chance to say goodbye to the patriarch of our family. I got to mourn, laugh, and remember. I saw people that I do not get to see enough. I had a lovely but brief conversation with my cousin Justin Andrew Demi. My heart broke as I experienced watching most of the people I love hurt. As we moved on to the graveside ceremony I stood among these men, my cousins Fredric Oakman, Seth Oakman, Justin Andrew Demi, and my brother Donald Gearhart, who not only dwarfed me but also made me feel completely safe while I remembered how I watched over these same boys while we played as children.

Later as I reflected on the day I realized something quite grand. In death, my grandfather was able to do something once more that he loved so much in life. He joined his family together. So I would like to say thank you to him and my family and make sure you all know how much I love you. Regardless of how different each of us are, I am proud to call you my family.

Condolence: It is with deep respect and affection that my family and I say goodbye to our Pappy, Robert Merle Bowery. My father (Jack Oakman) passed away in 1979 when I was only 25 years old. It was hard on me. Thank God I was then dating the love of my life, Pap’s eldest daughter Romona (Mony). Even though I didn’t know him well, I felt comfortable and accepted around him. Unbeknownst to me at the time, he became my surrogate father, and four years later when Mony and I married, he officially became my father-in-law, and unofficially my father. For the first time in my life I am fatherless, 25 years with my first dad, and 36 years with my second dad. Bob filled the void.

Pappy helped us out in so many ways through the years. First of all, he gave his daughter’s hand in marriage to me, and was totally supportive when I took her 120 miles away from home with my PSP career. Things were rough for us when our small family relocated, and we couldn’t afford a new vehicle. Pap rebuilt totaled vehicles for us and sold us the reconstructed cars at or less than his cost. That really helped us out financially. He was always very generous. He and Nancy had a time share plan, and our family shared many vacations with them in many areas of these United States. Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Iowa, Wyoming, and South Dakota, are some of the states we vacationed together in, accommodations on their dime. Again, they enabled us and our children to have quality and adventurous vacation time with them.

A Pappy family tradition was to host holidays at his and Nancy’s home. For decades we traveled there to celebrate Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving with the whole clan, and to feast on Nancy’s amazing cooking. Pap and Nancy even kept their hometown Clearfield Progress newspapers for me. Every time I came home, there would be a couple of bags waiting for me. Pappy believed in keeping his family in touch, and each year would sponsor the Bowery family reunion, usually held at Parker Dam State Park.

He loved us all, and was proud of us all. He was a great example for us, as well as a source of comfort, knowledge, and wisdom when we needed it. Pappy was a master mechanic and body man, and could literally fix anything on wheels or off. He built two houses that I am aware of, restored several antique cars, could operate all kinds of heavy equipment, and truly was a jack of all trades.

Robert Bowery was a God-fearing family man, and great husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather to his children and step-children. He was an Army combat engineer in the Korean Conflict who proudly and ably served his country. The hurt that we all feel is genuine, and we will continue to love and miss him. Nancy, Mony, and I were privileged to be there with him when he left this world, and I hope I can emulate Pap and be able to see him again when my time comes. My wife and I and his entire family are devastated with the loss, but we have many, many, beautiful memories of the man we called “Pappy”.

Condolence: Beeper, Chuck, Justin, Misty and family,
So sorry for your loss. May your Pappy rest in peace in the blessed arms of our lord, Jesus Christ. May you also find some comfort knowing Pappy is suffering no more and lives on through a wonderful legacy, all of you, his family and those who loved him.
God bless you all, thinking of you.
Please accept our sincerest condolences.