A Beautiful Life and A Father to All
In Chicago, Illinois on 1934, Father William H. Bowles was born to Ruth and John Bowles II, owner of the Bowles Live Stock Commission Company. Surrounded by his loving family at the age of 87, Father Bowles passed away on July 27, 2021.
Preceded in death by his dear parents and older brothers James and John Bowles III, both of whom he looked up to. Father Bowles is survived by his children Suzanne Bellucci, Leo Bowles, Jennifer Bowles, Victoria Church and his grandchildren Christoper, Alessandro, Stefano, Alexandria, Benjamin, Ethan-William and Ellie. As a grandfather he shepherded his beloved grandchild.
Growing up in Highland Park, Illinois, Father Bowles was an avid, talented sportsman and a dedicated altar boy. In 1952 he graduated from Highland Park High School before attending Marquette University, a Catholic University in Milwaukee. He graduated with a degree in economics and philosophy.
After college, Father Bowles followed his patriotic sense of duty and enlisted in the armed forces during the Cold War. He was stationed in Munich Germany, where on his leave days he joined the military hockey team and started a social club for the officers to interact with German citizens. He valued the differences among cultures and treated each individual he encountered with deep respect. Throughout his life, Father Bowles would fondly recount stories of his time in Germany.
Father Bowles worked as a successful executive in advertising and marketing for several prominent magazines prior to becoming a priest. As a single father he raised four children, offering them rich opportunities of a college education and further study abroad. Father Bowles fostered a sense of ethics and morals in his children and enriched their lives. He had a gift of telling stories in such a way as to teach as he delivered life lessons. His eloquence in words and comportment with his gift for seeing beauty in life created a model for his children to see the world from an aesthetic perspective. He was a dedicated father to his family, and they knew that he was always there for them.
Father Bowles was a faithful servant of God even before he went into the priesthood. His sense of integrity and adherence to his strong Christian faith, moral and ethical principles was a deep constant thread in his life. On weekends, when he lived in Minneapolis where he raised his family, in collaboration with Father Oliver Dufresne, he developed a place called “The Listening House”. In this charitable organization, he gave an ear to those who were experiencing problems in their lives, the homeless and those who had no one to turn to. He provided a safe place to talk, and would give comfort and guidance to the poor and rejected. He gave joy and peace to the mourning, God’s forgiveness to the sinful and courage to the fearful.
Due to his dedicated volunteer work, The Most Reverend Bishop Lucker invited Father Bowles to consider devoting his life to the priesthood upon his retirement from a successful career as a creative advertising executive for 30 years. Father Bowles studied for his Master of Divinity and was ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of New Ulm in Minnesota. He served a couple of parishes as the Associate Pastor before becoming Pastor. In 2004 he assumed the role of Parochial Vicar at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Lauderdale until retirement in 2020. He was honored to serve alongside Monsignor Vincent Kelly. Father Bowles loved his Irish heritage and enjoyed that common bond with Monsignor Kelly. The rectory staff, the parish ministries, the church volunteers and the parish community were an important part of his parish family.
Father Bowles’ family, friends and parishioners could count on him to be “present” at family gatherings, funerals, and weddings. When we say “present”, we mean that in the very essence of the word. He did not just “show up”, he was there to engage, show love and share God's word. He wrote, “I would like to share the most important truth I carry deep in my spirit, faith in my strongest belief possible: The whole reason we are living on this earth is to work out the destiny God has held open to each of us.”
Father Bowles was loved by his amazing smile, ready sense of humor, devotion and respect to all who were graced by his presence. He was a beautiful person with a kind and gentle soul. We will always cherish our dear memories of our Father William H. Bowles and he will forever live in the hearts of those he touched.
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