John K. “Jack” Bowman

July 19, 2007

John K. “Jack” Bowman 85, of 8704 Swan Road, died Friday morning, at his home where he had been under hospice care for five days.

He was born November 7, 1921 at the family farm on Dry Hill, a son of Cyrus and Florence Dixon, Bowman. He attended Adams rural schools. He married Marjorie (Chickie) Weaver July 27, 1943 in Watertown. They moved to the Belleville area in 1948. Mrs. Bowman died February 10, 1988. He married Suzanne Bacon in 2000.

He was a mechanic for Carl J. Henry and Son farm implement business in Belleville for many years prior to working as head of the Transportation Department at Belleville Central and then Belleville Henderson Central School for 21 years before he retired in 1987. He served in the Army Air Corp and was discharged as a sergeant in 1943.

He was a lifetime member of the Belleville Fire Department where he served as captain, co-captain, deputy chief and secretary. He was a lifetime member of the Jefferson County Fire Police Association, a charter member of the Henderson Fish and Game Club and served as secretary-treasurer, also as treasurer of the Fish and Game Club Auxiliary. He was a past member of the Black River Fiddlers Association, a member and past president of the Adams Pony Club, and the “Bits and Bridles” club that rode in many parades, a member of the National Rifle Association. He was known as a lifelong horseman, and until 2 weeks age he continued to answer fire calls and perform his fire police duties. He drove school bus for Belleville for many years and drove snowplow for the Town of Ellisburg until he was 80 years old.

He is survived by his wife, Suzanne; a daughter, Joyce Burns-Stewart and her husband Don of Winter Springs, FL; a son, John H. “Jack” of Longwood, FL; 3 step daughters and 4 step sons; 3 granddaughters, Trisha and Dewey Nolan, Robin and Emerson Proctor, and Kristi and Bruce Rogers all of Florida; 7 great grandchildren; multiple step grandchildren and multiple step great grandchildren; and hundreds of friends.

A memorial service will be 5:00PM Monday at the Carpenter-Stoodley Funeral Home with Pastor James Hayes of the Christian Life Center, Chaumont officiating. There will be no calling hours. Burial will be in the Adams State Road Cemetery at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Belleville Fire Department, Belleville, NY 13611 in Jack’s memory.

Jack was known by everyone and wanted to be remembered as the last of the outlaws. His favorite saying “it’s hard to soar like an eagle when you are surrounded by turkeys”!