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JIMERSONTOWN — Mr. Ralph E. Bowen, 98, entered his heavenly home to be with his Lord and Savior Monday ( 2020) sur rounded his re , at their home in Jimersontown Born Aug. 8, 1922, in Coldspring, he was the son of the late Francis and Bertha Buck Bowen. He was married to Delores “Dee” Jimerson Oldshield, who predeceased him in 2009. He had previ ously been married to the late Eleanor Jimerson Bova, who predeceased him in 1989; and the late Annabelle Clark Bowen, who prede ceased him in 1974. He was an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians and the Snipe clan. He was a direct descendant of Chief Cornplanter. Mr. Bowen attended Indian School District 2, Robinson Run, Coldspring, and the Thomas Indian School, Cattaraugus Territory. He earned his associate’s degree in the ology from Mt. Echo Bible Institute, Humphrey. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corp, earning the rank of sergeant during WWII serving along with his three brothers who were also in the European Theater. He flew combat missions with the 2nd 723rd bomb group squadron, known as “The Cottontails,” out of the Manchuria Airbase, Italy. On Oct. 2, 2020, he was inducted into The Senators New York State Veterans Hall of Fame, nominated . Sen. George Borrello, received many citations and honors, including The European/ African/ Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Silver Service Star. Ralph is the second Native American and the first Seneca to receive the appointment to the grade of ight in the Order of the Legion of Honor from the Frech government, which was presented on the 75th commemoration of D-Day in France, June 6, 2019. Mr. Bowen had been employed as an iron worker with Local 3, Erie, Pa., and Laborers Local 621, Olean, for over 25 years. He had also been employed with the Seneca Nation of Indians, serv ing as a five-term coun selor and a three-term Peacemaker Judge. He also served as Chief Marshall and as the asses sor for the Seneca Nation of Indians. He also worked as a language teacher with the Seneca Nation Language Department for over five years, and also worked as a man ager at the High Banks Campgrounds. He was a devoted preacher, starting in 1959 at the former Red House Baptist Church, Red House, what became later known as the Red House Memorial Chapel, Jimersontown, speaking the Word there until his retirement in 1990, where he was also a member of the Point Man Ministry Outpost. He was a member of the Iroquois American Legion Post 1587. e enjoyed studying the Bible and was an avid reader, known to read late into the night. Surviving are two daughters, Jacqueline Bowen of Salamanca and Rebecca Bowen of Jimersontown; a son, Dennis (Alita) Bowen of Jimersontown; four step children, Arlene Bova of Salamanca, Darlene Bova of Steamburg, Christopher Bova of Salamanca and Anson (Jo) Bova of Oil Springs Territory; 13 grandchildren; and several great- and great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by an infant sister, Lucille Bowen; and three broth ers, Leslie Bowen, Acel Joseph Bowen and Elwood Bowen. Private funeral ser vices will be held Friday (Dec. 11, 2020) at the O'Rourke O’Rourke Inc. Funeral Home, 25 River St., Salamanca, with Winfield Bowen, nephew of the deceased, officiating. The public is invited to join the family at 11 a.m. at Memorial Freights Cemetery, Jimersontown. Full military honors will be conducted by members of the Iroquois American Legion Post 1587. condolences can be sent to orourke.orourkesh@ pier or posted to acebook.com/onofh.
Newspaper Details
Olean Times Herald
Olean, New York, US
Wed, Dec 09, 2020
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Catherine J.
USA 30 Jul 2026
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