Gary Bowen

Gary E. Bowen, age 70, of Hamilton, died on Monday September 26, 2011 at his home after a long battle with cancer. His family was by his side. Gary was born on May 14, 1941 in Orange Township, MI to Marle and Eugenia (Rice) Bowen. He was a veteran of the United States Army and served in the Vietnam War. Gary was a loving husband and father.

He was preceded in death by a great grandson, Elizjah Daniel Butcher; his mother, Eugenia (Rice) (Bowen) Perkins; his father, Marle Bowen; his step-father Clarence Perkins; and his father-in-law, Charles Skinner.

He is survived by his wife of fifty years, Joyce (Skinner) Bowen of Hamilton; his children, Al and Dawn (Bowen) Kortman, Gary Bowen Jr., Donald Bowen, Debra Kortman, and James Bowen; his nineteen grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren; his siblings, Ted Bowen of Arkansas, Jim and Connie (Bowen) Smith of Walker, MI, Cherry (Bowen) VanDine of Tennessee, Dave and Jan (Bowen) Payne of Grand Haven, MI, and Mike and Lanette Bowen of Hudsonville, MI; his mother-in-law, Doris Skinner, his sister-in-law, Nancy (Skinner) Creekmore; and a brother-in-law, Leslie Skinner.

Funeral services with military honors will be held at 11:00am on Saturday October 1, 2011 at the Mulder Chapel, Dykstra Funeral Homes, 188 West 32nd Street.

Visitation will be held on Saturday one hour prior to the service at the Mulder Chapel.

Burial will take place in East Saugatuck Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Holland Gospel Chapel.

Arrangements by the Mulder Chapel, Dykstra Funeral Homes, www.dykstrafuneralhome.com.