Shannon Duane Bowman was born August 4, 1926, in Missoula, MT to Edward and Helen (Olsberg) Bowman. He had three younger sisters, Barbara (Ralph) Welken, Beverly (Elwood) Nelson and Enid (Clifford) Roxton. They grew up on a farm near Kathryn, and also enjoyed time in Pine River, MN and Whitehall, MT. He graduated high school in Whitehall, MT in 1944.
While working as a telegraph operator for the railroad in Townsend, MT, Shannon was called for service in WWII. He was inducted into the Army December, 1944 and discharged December, 1946, after training radio telegraph operators stateside during the war and serving with US forces occupying Japan after the war.
While using his GI Bill benefits to attend Valley City State Teachers College, Shannon met Vivian Ann Verduin. They were united in marriage July 14, 1949 in the First Reformed Church in Litchville and made their first home in Whitehall, MT. He was called to active duty in April, 1951 for his first tour of duty in Korea. He also served in Vietnam from March, 1966 to February, 1967.
Over the years they lived in a series of places around the world, including Yokohama, Japan, Butte, MT, Vicenza, Italy, Ft Devens, MA, Ft Hood, TX, Ft Sheridan, IL, and then finally home to retirement in Valley City in 1970 near the college where they met. He worked with Valley City Cares for the Elderly and Barnes County Senior Citizens as Nutritional Director. He was instrumental in developing the Meals on Wheels program in Valley City.
They enjoyed RV travel, fishing trips and making memories with their grandchildren during their retirement.
Those left to share his memory include his sister Barbara Welken, Detroit Lakes, MN, his son Terrance (Linda) Bowman, Lake Tapps, WA, his daughter Susan (Michael) Marohl of Bismarck, his grandchildren Aaron Marohl of Scottsdale, AZ, Christopher (Rachel) Marohl of Wichita, KS, Ryan (Valerie) Bowman of Kirkland, WA, and Ashley (Luke) Swift of Lake Tapps, WA; his great grandchildren James, Alex and Asher Bowman, and Eli and Bennett Swift and Evelyn Marohl; his step grandchildren Toby (Lauren) Cusimano of Maple Valley, WA, and Amber Cusimano of Arlington, WA; plus 7 step great grandchildren and 5 step great great grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law Cliff Roxton, Santa Barbara, CA and Elwood Nelson, Lafayette, CO.
Preceding him in death were his wife Vivian, their son Shannon, his parents Edward and Helen Bowman, his sisters Enid Roxton and Beverly Nelson, his brother-in-law Clarence ‘Bud’ Verduin, his father-in-law and mother-in-law Peter and Nell (Kluvers) Verduin; sister-in-law Myrtle Verduin, and brother-in-law Ralph Welken.
Shannon died Monday, December 3, 2018 at North Dakota Veterans Home in Lisbon. The funeral service will be 10:30 am Friday, December 14, 2018 at North Dakota Veterans Home. Visitation will be 5-7pm Thursday, December 13 at the Oliver Nathan Funeral Chapel, Valley City. Burial will be in Woodbine Cemetery, Valley City.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel, Valley City. An online guestbook is available at oliver-nathanchapel.com