LTC, Cecil "Don" Richard Bowen, US Army, Retired, 89, passed away February 14, 2021.  Don was born in Orion, WI to the late Ervin and Lottie Dobbs Bowen and was one of four children. He was predeceased by his high school sweetheart and wife of 66 years, Myrna May Shepherd Bowen.  Don was a US Army veteran having served in Korea and Vietnam, but he spent most of his life between Wisconsin and Virginia. He was the retired owner and operator of Bowen and Son Trucking, Co.

Don will be remembered as a complex, intelligent, and fiercely loving and loyal person. He was a straight-shooter, but always fair and considerate in his words. He enjoyed talking about subjects that others shied away from and appreciated people with strong convictions even when they differed from his own. Above all, he liked to laugh, poking fun at others and (mostly) at himself.

Don enjoyed a lifetime love of fishing, but in his later years, he spent his time telling outrageous stories from his life (all true), playing games with his friends, solitaire when alone, and sharing pictures of his great grandchildren. Lover of cats and nicknames, he loved "hate" mail the most. He was a man with many honors but felt his greatest achievements in life were his relationships with family and friends.

Don is survived by daughter, Catherine Mingo (John Laskowski); son, Thomas Bowen (Theresa); grandchildren, Amanda Schreiber (Seth), Zachary Bowen (Chandler), and Robert Laskowski; great grandchildren, Fisher Bowen, Felicity Bowen, and Art Schreiber. He will be missed.

A celebration of life will be held later this year. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mended Little Hearts mendedhearts.org or Conquering CHD conqueringchd.org in honor of great granddaughter Felicity.