Robert Bowman

Robert E. “Bob” Bowman, age 90 of Dayton, Indiana died at home on October 25, 2022 of congestive heart failure. He was the middle child of 7 sons born to Arthur and Veronica (Wichman) Bowman in Vincennes, Indiana on March 28, 1932. He was baptized, confirmed and finished 8 grades at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and school. He graduated from Vincennes Lincoln High School in 1950. As a young boy he delivered papers, picked strawberries, worked in the melon fields and apple and peach orchards of Knox County. At age 13 he worked after school at Blackford Window Glass until the G.I.’s returned home from WWII. He was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and served until his honorable discharge in 1955. Because of his height and shoe size, the army initially had neither a uniform nor boots to fit him. He was often ordered to hide under the bleachers during parades and inspections to avoid demerits. It was 6 months before he could discard his civilian clothing. Upon returning to Vincennes he was employed by Vincennes Steel as a structural steel draftsman. He continued in that field until his retirement in Dayton in partnership with Cliff Thomsen in their company “B & C Detailing”. He married Shirley Clark, who survives him, in 1954 at St. John’s in Vincennes. They are the parents of 4 children: Leslie Wiggins, Julie (Doug) Moore, Paula (Mark) Rader and Andrew Bowman. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren; Dan (Karen) Wiggins, Joseph Wiggins, Sam (Ashley) Moore, Kaci (Matty) Smith, Anson (Clarissa), Emma Bowman and Mary Bowman and their mother Susan Volpert Bowman. He also is survived by 3 great-grandchildren; Oliver Wiggins, Kendall and Montgomery Smith. Also surviving are two dear sisters-in-law, Carol Bowman and Ann Bowman. Bob is also survived by many nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly and he considered the Clark family to be his own. He was predeceased by his parents and 6 brothers; Tommy and Paul Francis in infancy, and Art, Burr, Kenneth and Charles. Bob enjoyed yard work, computer solitaire and Westerns. He had served for 13 years with the Sheffield Township Volunteer Fire Department where he held the positions of Chief and Secretary, 30 years on the Board of Directors of the Mulberry Telephone Company, Tippecanoe County Area Plan, Dayton Town Council and he was a friend of the Tippecanoe County Library. He was an inactive member of the Eagles Lodge Aerie 347 and American legion Post 11. He was a devout member of St. Mary Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception since coming to Dayton in 1964. He had served faithfully as an usher there at the 7:30 a.m. mass and later volunteered countless hours as a cleaner of the church sanctuary. If desired, memorials may be made to St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1207 Columbia Street or Matthew 25 Care & Share Soup Kitchen, 612 Wabash Avenue, Lafayette, IN 47905 Friends may call at St. Mary’s Cathedral from 10:00 AM until the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM Saturday October 29, Fr. Dennis Faker officiating. The interment will be held at Wyandotte Cemetery 2:00 PM Saturday. Hahn-Groeber Funeral Home of Lafayette is honored to serve the Bowman family Please leave memories and condolences at www.hahngroeberfuneralhome.com