Obituaries for Feb. 19, 2010

Franklyn 'Garry' Bowman

Franklyn "Garry" Bowman, 70, of Baker City died Feb. 16, 2010, at his home of natural causes surrounded by family.

A celebration of his life will be announced later.

Garry was born on March 31, 1939, to Franklyn “Frank” and Helenmae “Jean” Bowman at the Lower Ranch near Richland. He spent most of his childhood at Richland and at Weiser, Idaho, where he loved to spend time with his grandparents, Jim and Babe Fleetwood, at their ranch.

Garry started school at Robinette, which is now under the backup waters. He was a 1957 graduate of Eagle Valley High School at Richland. During high school, he played center on the football team.

He married Shirley Ann Larkins on Aug. 26, 1961. They had two girls.

Garry was a part of the National Guard of Oregon and the Army Reserve from 1957 to 1965.

Garry worked on his grandparents’ and family ranch in his younger years, handling cattle and haying. He also worked for other ranchers in the area. Garry worked on the Hells Canyon Dam, Brownlee Dam and the Oxbow Dam. He later traveled the Northwest while working for a cement transportation company from 1966 until retiring in 2008.

He started with K-Lines Trucking Inc., which later was sold to Gresham Transfer Inc. His family traveled with him to many of his jobs.

During his childhood he began a love for the rodeo while spending time with his grandparents, who participated in many of the area events. He continued to attend many rodeos and bull riding events during his lifetime.

He loved the outdoors, fishing, hunting and camping. He also loved bowling and playing cards, especially cribbage. He enjoyed attending his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events.

He had a good sense of humor and always loved a good laugh or prank, his family members said. In his later years, he looked forward to going to coffee with his good friends. He had many friends and rarely forgot someone’s name. He loved being surrounded by family and friends.

Garry was a member of the Elks Lodge and the Eagles Auxiliary. He was a member of the North Marion Booster Club while his girls were in high school.

He was preceded in death by his dad, Frank Bowman; his grandparents, Jim and Anna “Babe” Fleetwood, Lloyd and Ruby Bowman and Andrew and Belle Marlow.

Survivors include his wife of 48 years and best friend, Shirley Ann Bowman; his mother, Helenmae “Jean” Bowman of Walla Walla, Wash.; his two daughters, Cindi Nichols of Baker City and Kaylene and her husband, Mike Dennison, of Marana, Ariz.; grandchildren, Daniel “D.J.” Nichols of Baker City, Kassi and her husband, Kevin Kaminski, of Tucson, Ariz., Kayla Nichols and Eric Lodwig of Gresham, Travis Dennison of Marana, Ariz., Nicole and her husband, Mike Hale, of Tucson, Ariz., Christy and her husband, Ryan Watson, of Henderson, Nev.; great-grandchildren, Nickolas Kaminski, Madison Kaminski, and Aubrey Hale, all of Tucson, Ariz.; sister, Ruth Bowman and Pete Barlow of Milton-Freewater; brothers, Lyle “Butch” and Lavaughn Bowman of Casper, Wyo., and Lloyd “Bud” and Sherryll Bowman of White City; many aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, and many, many friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, a charity that he supported, and to Heart ‘n’ Home Hospice and Palliative Care, which helped make it possible for his remaining days to be comfortably spent in his home with family, or a charity of one’s choice through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834.