Frank Lewis Bowman
May 3, 1926 ~ November 13, 2010
Frank Lewis Bowman, age 84, passed away Saturday, November 13, 2010 at the Kane County Skilled Nursing Unit in Kanab, UT.
He was born May 3, 1926 in Hamilton, OH to Maggie Shafer and Paul Leslie Bowman.
He married Emily Briggs in 1956. She died in 1987. He then married Betty Henderson on June 13, 1989. She died September 29, 2008. Frank served in the Canadian Armed Forces during World War II because he was too young to enlist in the US Military.
Frank was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many positions during his life; including serving with his second wife, Betty, as directors of the Blanding Genealogy Research Center for many years.
He worked for Intermountain Gas Company for many years in the western states before falling down a mine shaft in 1960, ending his career. Frank then began a life of service to others, most especially to both his wives who were bedridden before their deaths. He spent many devoted hours caring for Emily and later Betty so that neither of them had to spend any time in a care facility.
Frank loved his role as a grandfather. He had a particularly close bond to Chip, Erik and Brandi, but was loving and supporting to all.
He and Betty moved to the Fredonia, AZ area to be closer to her family, and he took Betty’s grandchildren as his own, loving and supporting them also.
While he missed his many friends in Blanding and the Four Corners area, his new church family in the Kaibab Ward in Moccasin, AZ became very close to him in the past few years.
Frank is survived by his sons Larry and David (Cheryll) Bowman both of Boise, ID; stepchildren Jim (Anne) Henderson of Nampa, ID, Marilyn Henderson of Fredonia, AZ, Ken (Pam) Henderson of Meridian, ID, David (Barbara Love) Henderson of Garden City, ID, and Jon (Beth) Henderson of Middleton, ID; sisters Bettie Jo Studstill and Doris Stuehm both of Texas; brother Paul Bowman of Texas; six grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, the youngest of whom he was able to greet even though he was born just five days before Frank’s death.
He is preceded in death by his parents, several brothers and sisters, wife Emily in 1987, and later wife Betty in 2008.
Funeral services were November 17, 2010 in Moccasin, AZ.
Burial will be in the Blanding, Utah Cemetery a day or two after the services. Arrangements were made with Mosdell Mortuary of Kanab, UT.