William Harold Bowes 1925-2011

William Bowes was a former President of the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association from 1956 – 1957.

From the Grande Prairie Herald Tribune: http://www.yourlifemoments.ca/sitepages/obituary.asp?oId=545814

William H. (Bill) Bowes of Grande Prairie, AB, died at GP’s QE 2 Hospital in the early hours of October 19, 2011. At his side were wife Margaret, son Steven and grandchildren Elliot and Simone. Bill was born on March 25, 1925 in Moose Jaw, SK, the second son of Harold and Ruth Bowes. Bill enlisted in the RCAF in 1943, the family in the meantime having moved to Ontario. While mother Ruth and younger siblings David, Eleanor, Howard, and Anne remained at home, Bill joined father Harold and older brother Jim overseas, they as members of the Canadian army, he as a navigator in 424 Squadron, Bomber Command. Returning home in 1945, Jim and Bill and their younger brothers soon became involved in the newspaper business in Ontario. Seizing an opportunity, they purchased the Herald-Tribune newspaper in Grande Prairie, a small town with big prospects, so they hoped. Bill, along with lifelong friend Ormond Shultz, arrived in GP in October, 1950, with Bill’s brothers not far behind. Amongst other benefits, the move to GP allowed Bill to regularly observe local girl Margaret O’Brien passing his window in the H-T building on her way to work. In 1952 they were married. By 1964 they were parents of four occasionally well-behaved and always beloved sons. Bill’s devotion to business, community and friends was exceeded only by this devotion to and love for family. Bill moved from newspaper publishing into a number of other businesses commencing in the early 1960s. These included dry cleaning, groceries, storage, and property development. Together with longtime business partner Walter Protsack, Bill remained actively involved in several of these ventures well past his 80th year. Although his businesses were many and varied, a common thread was that business partners, employees and associates became Bill’s steadfast and lifelong friends. Bill worked tirelessly on countless community projects, often as a member of Rotary or the Legion. He took particular satisfaction from projects that helped young people pursue their goals while representing their community, whether in sports, letters or the arts, culminating in his co-chairmanship, with Turk Taylor, of fund raising for the Canada Winter Games held in GP in 1995. Bill received many awards recognizing contributions to his community, most recently the Alberta Order of Excellence. While honoured by such recognition, Bill truly believed that community projects owe their success to the efforts of many dedicated volunteers, which GP has in abundance. In the closing years of his life Bill was beset by Alzheimer’s disease, which gradually stole his memory and his joy. But until his final few months Bill continued to enjoy morning coffee meetings with the gang that consisted usually of Bill Leslie, Doug Montgomery, and Leo Lauzon, as well as his regular card games at the Legion with Ormond and Turk. Bill spent most of the final six months of his life at the QE2 hospital and then at the Points West extended care facility. His family deeply appreciates the kindness and care many workers at those facilities showed to Bill in difficult circumstances. Bill leaves wife Margaret; sons Bill (Shelley), Rick (Bonnie), Dave (Kathy), and Steve (Heather); grandchildren Kieran, Chris, Arathana, Mac, Piper, Elliott, Simone, Taylor, Tom, Josh, Kennedy and Cassidy; siblings Eleanor (Grant), Howard (Marilyn), and Anne (Clare); Margaret’s sisters Alice (Doug) and Erin (Bob); many nephews and nieces; and countless friends. Bill’s wisdom, generosity, compassion, humour and patience (slow golfers excepted) were without limit. He was loved by many; he has inspired many; he will be missed by many. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s United Church in Grande Prairie on Saturday October 29 at 2 p.m., with a reception to follow in the church basement. Friends wishing to further celebrate Bill’s life are invited to join the family between 6 and 9 p.m. that evening in the Teresa Sargent Hall, Prairie Art Gallery. In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in Bill’s honour to the St. Paul’s United Church Building Fund, the GP Regional College Foundation, the QE2 Foundation, or a charity of your choice.10715884