William “Billy” Ross Bowman
January 9, 1910 – March 22, 2012
Bill Bowman, 102 years old, passed away Thursday, March 22 at 7:10 am with his loved ones beside him. “Billy” as recorded on his birth certificate, was born in Los Angeles on January 9, 1910. His parents were Jane Dunbar and Ross C. Bowman. His first home was at 1243 East Adams, Los Angeles.
In 1921, Bill and his mother, Jane, moved to Montrose. At that time, Montrose was a one block town. Having been a “city boy” all of his life, Bill really enjoyed the “natural” aspects of the Crescenta Valley. Later, Bill attended Glendale College and UCLA, but when Bank of America offered him a job, he took it. In 1934 Bill went to work for Bank of America at Broadway and Brand in Glendale. Bill married Norma Smith Hall on August 30, 1941. They were together for a year before Bill was called into military service. After four years in the Army, serving primarily in the Aleutian Islands, the war was over and Bill came home. Bill then wanted to have his own business and bought the Richfield Service Station that was on the south/west corner of Honolulu and Ocean View in Montrose. He ran that station for ten years. When the lease ended he went to work as office manager for a hardware manufacturing company in Glendale. Bill always reached out helping other people and lending a hand. For many years he was a member of the walking group, Foot-Loose, that explored various parts of Los Angeles and the United States.
Bill resided in his home in La Crescenta for 49 years. He and Norma just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary last August! He enjoyed excellent health his entire life and decided on his own, last year at 101 that it was time to stop driving. Bill is survived by his wife, Norma, and two sons, Ross William Bowman and Chris Alexander Bowman, two daughter-in-laws, Helena Bowman and Catalina McIsaac Bowman, six grandchildren, Paul and Olwen Skogerson, Tracy Johnson, Cristal Johnson, Vivianne Bowman and Conor Bowman, and four great-grandchildren, Caen Skogerson, Alexandria Johnson, Anais Skogerson and Naia Skogerson, neighbors and friends. A memorial service is pending.
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