Noel Marvin Bowden

Marvin is survived by his wife, Freda; his daughter and son-in-law, Joyce and Brian Hancock, Olathe, KS; his son, Steven Bowden, Keller, TX; five grandchildren, Sarah & Paul Hancock, Drew, Paul, Breanna, and Tanner; and four great-grandchildren.

Marvin’s parents, Wes & Lizzie Bowden, preceded him in death; as well as brothers, Gene, Leon and Dee; and sisters, Beulah Stinson, Lorene Johnson and Faye Heimsoth. His dad, Wesley; brother, Gene and sisters, Beulah and Lorene, died of cancer.

In 1924, the Bowden family moved from Gypsum to the Miller/Admire community, where they continued to farm. Marvin helped with the farm work even while attending the one room school, #46 – Pollack School, and Miller High School. Marvin and his cousin, Jeffrey Bowden, went to Wichita, KS after their high school graduation in 1941. Marvin washed dishes in a restaurant to support himself while he attended sheet metal school. Marvin and Jeff worked at Beech Aircraft Company, Wichita.

Marvin entered WWII in the Army Air Corps, April 22, 1943. The summer of 1943 several of the Miller, KS neighbor boys went into service, so Freda and three other neighbor girls got together and prepared “Care Packages” for those guys. Marvin was in basic training at Jefferson Barracks, MO. Freda wrote to Marvin to tell him to watch for the box to arrive. A letter that Marvin wrote to his mother was found where he wrote as a PS – “had a surprise when Freda Briant wrote a letter – a newspaper in fact”. Marvin answered that letter. Freda enjoyed writing letters, so she wrote once again asking if she could write more often. They continued corresponding while he was in the South Pacific. Their first date was to a movie after he returned home and they continued to write.

NOEL MARVIN BOWDEN AND FREDA LAVERA BRIANT were married on April 10, 1949 in Topeka, KS in a Methodist Church. Marvin gave Freda the engagement ring for her birthday, March 22, 1949, and they were married just three weeks later. They had planned to marry for several months – just never told anyone. Marvin had interviewed and accepted a position with the Kansas City Star newspaper. Marvin was to throw the morning and evening papers from the car on the 100 mile route to several rural towns around Emporia, KS. Just 1 paper on Sunday, so it was a 7 day job. There wouldn’t have been time for a ceremony unless they married “now”.

Marvin and Freda celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1999 in Olathe, KS with Joyce and her family and Steve and his family in Keller, TX. A plane trip to Seattle, WA, where a bus tour was made to San Francisco, CA, along the Pacific Ocean – a 9-day trip and seeing all of those interesting places. What a year and great gift that was! Marvin and Freda enjoyed a wonderful life together and had been married 68 years at his passing.

No one asked Marvin what he wanted to do in the Army Air Corps. He was sent to schools, after basic training at Jefferson Barracks, MO. Armament training was at Lowry Field, Colorado and Indianapolis, Indiana where he learned to be a Turret Specialist. Marvin got his overseas training at Seymor-Johnson Field, Greensboro, NC. After completing that training, he was sent to the west coast of the U.S. on a troop train. This train traveled on the tracks a few miles south of the Bowden home and went right through Miller/Admire, KS. The Bowden family did not know about the train schedule. After arriving on Angel Island, north of San Francisco, CA March 1944, he was on a ship for 3 weeks going to New Guinea in the South Pacific. When orders came, Marvin was stationed on the Philippine Islands, Okinawa and Japan and other places that he may not remember the exact places. He only had one furlough and that vacation helped when he went to Manilla in the Philippines. Marvin was with the 8th Attack Squadron, 3rd Bomb Group in the 5th Air Force. It was 21 months before he was sent back home after being in the South Pacific.

Letters were saved that Marvin wrote from the South Pacific which tells of many of his experiences. Marvin was assigned to the A-20 and A-26 airplanes. He loaded and unloaded bombs – a very detailed job. He contracted Malaria while he was overseas but Marvin was never injured while he was in the service. He and the crew lived in tents in that hot South Pacific and live through more than one typhoon.

Marvin spent another 3 weeks on a ship, when he left Japan to go back to the U.S. He received his Honorable Discharge at Ft. Logan, CO, December 1945. Service medals were earned - Asiatic Pacific Ribbon with 7 campaign stars, The Philippine Liberation Ribbon with 1 star, the Victory Ribbon, Good Conduct Ribbon and the American Theater Ribbon. His Combat duty – Air Offensive, Japan, China, Western Pacific, Air Combat, Borneo, Southern Philippines, New Guinea and Luzon.

Marvin lived with his mother for a few years and adjusted to civilian life, once again. What an adjustment his mother had when he went into WWII in April 1943. In December 1942, Marvin’s dad died of cancer. Then it was only 4 months later that her son, Marvin, had to serve in the Army Air Corps. A sad time for Sarah Elizabeth Bowden.

While Marvin worked at Beech Aircraft, Wichita, KS, for nearly 2 years before joining the Army Air Corps, he bought a tan ’39 2-door Chevy that he sold before going into the Army Air Corps. After being home for a while he bought another car – probably in ’46 – a maroon 4-door Chevy that was his prize possession. How he loved to wash and wax that car! Another vehicle was purchased – a Ford truck that was used to haul hay or grain for the farmers and even coal for the neighbors that burned coal in their stoves. That truck provided a living, but it was hard labor and mighty hot in the summer.

After they were married, they lived in Emporia, KS for nearly 2 years. February 19, 1951, they moved to Wichita, KS, when Marvin started employment at Cessna Aircraft Company. Joyce Noelene Bowden was born at Wesley Hospital, Wichita, KS, on April 8, 1951 – just 2 months after moving to Wichita. Their first new home, 2456 N. Chautauqua, was bought in January 1952. Steven Leslie Bowden was born at St. Joseph Hospital, Wichita, KS on October 15, 1953.

heir 2nd new home, 2853 N. Fairmount St., which was closer to their Baptist Church, was bought in November 1959. They bought an acre lot and had our 3rd new house, a tri-level with a basement, built at 4121 N. Parkwood Lane, in August 1966. This is in the Bel Aire area which is just north of the Wichita City Limit – in Sedgwick County. Our address was Wichita, KS though. By now we should have learned how much yard work a new house takes. They lived there 44 years.

Marvin became a Christian in 1955. Marvin and Freda were baptized together and became active members of a Baptist Church. He was ordained a Deacon in 1956. Marvin was the music director and sang many solos during the worship service. Marvin could sing bass or high tenor when necessary. Marvin and Freda sang duets. He was a Sunday School teacher for Primary children. Marvin and other church members helped to build our church building. Our family was a quartet – Joyce, soprano; Freda, alto; Marvin, tenor and Steve, bass.

Marvin retired from Cessna Aircraft Co., March 28, 1987, after 35 years. All of the family was able to attend and what a retirement party that was! Airplane plants are known for lay-offs but Marvin was never laid-off. How fortunate to get a pay check every Friday night.

Marvin enjoyed all kinds of music. His mom played a guitar and dad played the fiddle. Most of the 7 kids played instruments after the farm chores were done. Marvin played the harmonica. Everyone joined the singing during these evenings. Marvin won awards for his solos during his high school years. Joyce and her husband, Brian, gave Marvin a keyboard one Christmas and Marvin has enjoyed this hobby for hours at a time.

Camping has been a big part of Marvin and Freda’s life. They tented when Joyce and Steve were small and gradually grew into a 30 foot 5th wheel trailer. They enjoyed the trailer a lot. They traveled to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and a trip to Arizona, also. They learned several crafts and Marvin learned to carve in TX & AZ. They did not travel all over the US but the short trips with the camping club in Kansas has helped them to learn more about their home state.

Marvin enjoyed doing a lot of hunting, especially when he was younger. The German Shorthair dog, Baron, and Steve made for more fun on the hunting trips. Fishing was an important outing and all the family went along, living in a tent usually, when Joyce and Steve were young.

Marvin had some health problems over the years. In the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s, Marvin was the first patient to have his stomach frozen at KU Medical Center after suffering from ulcers for several years – didn’t work so the ulcer problem continued. Both hernias have been repaired. He had the TURP procedure in 1990 and 1996. Prostate cancer was found in 1996. An oncologist has watched Marvin carefully. The PSA is within the normal range since the last TURP procedure without any further treatment.

While going through tests and examinations to find care for the cancer, Marvin’s heart problem was discovered. 5 by-pass was done February 12, 1997. His progress was very good and he was able to live a normal life. In 1998, Marvin’s sister lost her only child and Faye asked Marvin to be her Power of Attorney. This was a new experience for Marvin. Faye went into a nursing home in Kansas City, MO, May 2000.Marvin made sure Faye was well cared for until her passing in 2002.

Marvin was a sweet, godly man with a wonderful sense of humor and he will be missed by all who knew him. God called his son, Noel Marvin Bowden, 95, to his home in Heaven, while surrounded by his wife and loving family, at Olathe Hospice House on June 3, 2017. Services will take place at McGilley & Hoge Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, Kansas on Saturday, June 10, 2017. Visitation will be at 10:00 am followed by the Celebration of Life at 11:00 am. The burial will be at 3:30 pm in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery which is in a rural area 5 miles north of Admire, Kansas. The burial ceremony is also open to the public.