William Bowdler

William J.T. “Bill” Bowdler passed away Monday, June 8, 2015 at 2:08 PM in Millers Merry Manor, Warsaw, Indiana.
Bill, born September 19, 1917 in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, was the older of two sons born to Thomas and Mary (Challis) Bowdler. He graduated from Technical School in 1933. Bill and Marion Rendall were joined in marriage August 31, 1940 in St. Catharines.
Drafted into the Canadian Army on December 28, 1942, Bill served during World War ll with the 48th Highlanders of Canada, the Brockville Rifles of Canada, Rocky Mountain Rangers and the Prince of Wales Rangers. He was honorably discharged March 15, 1946.
He worked in a number of tool rooms until being drafted into the Canadian Army. Soon after Bill’s return from the Army he took a job with Remington Rand in North Tonawanda, New York and became supervisor April 1, 1961. The factory in North Tonawanda closed and was moved to Marietta, Ohio March 3, 1976. Bill would follow the company and retire in September of 1979 after 33 years of service.
Bill was quite athletic in his younger years. He was a relay runner and participated in the St. Catharines to Niagara Falls Relay on Thanksgiving Day for several years. In his hometown, he played left wing in hockey during the winter for English Electric in an industrial league. During the summer he played lacrosse. As his own boys were of age, Bill managed an outstanding little league team. He had a great rapport with the players which brought out the best ability in each boy. Even years beyond his little league management days he would wonder and ask if anyone knew where those little league boys were and was concerned as to how they were doing. Bill was very involved in the lives of his sons and attended practically every athletic event they participated in whether Little League, Junior High, High School or College. Bill attended Community Bible Church, Warsaw. He was an avid stamp collector and was a shuffle board champion. He loved all of the people in the park (Sunshine Mobile Village).
Bill moved to the Winona Lake/Warsaw area from Sunshine Mobile Village in Fort Myer, Florida where he and Mary had resided following his retirement.
Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law: Bill and Linda Bowdler of Winona Lake, Indiana; 2 granddaughters: Jeannine Bowdler, Warsaw and Sherry and Stephen James of Milford, Indiana; and 3 great grandchildren: Jovan Bowdler, Adrian Bowdler and Charlotte James.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marion “Mary” Bowdler (October 27, 1994); his son, Gary Bowdler, who was killed September 1969 while serving with a medevac unit during the Viet Nam War; and a granddaughter: Lisa Mora (May 23, 2007).
Family and friends will gather for a time of sharing Thursday, June 11th from 5-6 PM in TITUS FUNERAL HOME, 2000 E. Sheridan Street, Warsaw, Indiana 46580. A service celebrating Bill’s life will follow beginning at 6 PM in the funeral home. Elder Phil Routh of Community Bible Church (Warsaw) will officiate. Burial will take place in Elmlawn Cemetery in Kenmore, New York at a later date.
The family has asked that gifts in memory of Bill be directed to Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675 or at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.