William J.T. Bowdler, 97, passed away at 2:08 p.m. June 8, 2015, in Miller’s Merry Manor, Warsaw. He was born Sept. 19, 1917, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, to Thomas and Mary Challis Bowdler. On Aug. 31, 1940, in St. Catharines, he married Marion Rendell, who preceded him in death Oct. 27, 1994. He graduated from Technical School in 1933. He was drafted into the Canadian Army Dec. 28, 1942. He served during World War ll with the 48th Highlanders of Canada, The Brockville Rifles of Canada, Rocky Mountain Rangers and the Prince of Wales Rangers. He was honorably discharged March 15, 1946. He worked in a number of tool rooms until being drafted into the Canadian Army. Soon after his return from the Army he took a job with Remington Rand in North Tonawanda, N.Y., and became supervisor April 1, 1961. The factory in North Tonawanda closed and was moved to Marietta, Ohio, March 3, 1976. He followed the company and retired in Sept. 1979 after 33 years of service. He moved to Winona Lake, from Sunshine Mobile Village in Fort Myers, Fla., where he and Mary had moved to following his retirement. He was quite athletic in younger years. He was a relay runner and participated in the St. Catharines to Niagara Falls Relay on Thanksgiving Day for several years. In his hometown, he played left wing in hockey during the winter for English Electric in an industrial league. During the summer he played lacrosse. As his own boys were of age, he managed an outstanding little league team. He had a great rapport with the players which brought out the best ability in each boy. Even years beyond his little league management days, he would wonder and ask if anyone knew where those little league boys were and was concerned as to how they were doing. He was very involved in the lives of his sons and attended practically every athletic event they participated in whether little league, junior high, high school or college. He also attended Community Bible Church, Warsaw. He was an avid stamp collector and was a shuffle board champion. He loved all of the people in the Sunshine Mobile Village. Survivors include a son, Bill (and spouse Linda) Winona Lake; two granddaughters, Jeannine Bowdler, Warsaw, and Sherry (and spouse Stephen) James, Milford; three great-granddaughters: Jovan and Adrian Bowdler and Charlotte James. He was also preceded in death by a son, Gary Bowdler, in September 1969 in Vietnam with a medevac unit; and granddaughter, Lisa Mora, who died May 23, 2007. Services will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Titus Funeral home, 2000 E. Sheridan St., Warsaw, with Elder Phil Routh of Community Bible Church, Warsaw, officiating. Burial is in Elmlawn Cemetery, Kenmore, N.Y., at a later date. Calling is from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. ***** Memorials to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS, 66675, or www.woundedwarriorproject.org Condolences via www.titusfuneralhome.com
