Bowers, Russell H.

Russell H. Bowers, 64, of Oskaloosa, died Friday, Feb. 19, 2010, at the Mahaska Hospital in Oskaloosa.    Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Pastor Bill Dobson officiating. Burial will be at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.    Visitation will begin after 10 a.m. today at the funeral chapel, where the family will be present from 5 to 7 tonight to greet friends and relatives.

He was born Oct. 5, 1945, at Osceola, Iowa, the son of Howard and Opal Haller Bowers. He graduated from the Clark Community High School with the class of 1964. He proudly served in the United States Navy, and was honorably discharged. In March 1971, he was united in marriage to Linda Wenthe at Fredericksburg, Iowa. Following his discharge from the Navy, he went to work for Hy-Vee in Des Moines. He later transferred to Hy-Vee in Cedar Rapids and worked there as the produce manager for 35 years, retiring in 1997. That same year he moved to Oskaloosa. While in Oskaloosa he worked for Econo-Foods for a while; he later worked for Jiffy convenience store. He was presently working for the YMCA in Oskaloosa. 

He enjoyed camping, gardening, tinkering with and fixing things. He will be remembered as an excellent cook, and always willing to help. He delighted in spending time with his family.

His family includes his three daughters, Jennifer (and Dan) King, Gabrielle Bowers and Renee Bowers, all of Cedar Rapids; two sons and their wives, Rusty and Desiree Bowers of Cedar Rapids and Mike and Tiffany Bowers of Dubuque; 13 grandchildren; a sister, Alene Bowers of Des Moines; three brothers, Robert (and Darlene) Bowers of Chariton, Virgil Bowers of Spirit Lake and Donnie (and Vicky) Bowers of Cedar Rapids; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorials may be made to the YMCA in Oskaloosa.