Howard Dale Bowers

Howard Dale Bowers, age 84, of Dover, and a long-time resident of Applecreek, passed away peacefully Saturday, April 4, 2015, in Park Village Health Care Center, following a long illness.

Born October 19, 1930, in Bowerston, he was a son of the late Howard E. and Bertha (Liggett) Bowers. Dale, as he was often called, graduated in 1948 from Bowerston High School and went on to study agriculture at Ohio State University. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1954 during the Korean War, and served honorably until 1957, when he went to reserve status, ultimately being fully discharged in 1963. Dale was awarded the Occupation (Germany), Marksman (carbine) and Good Conduct Medals. On October 18, 1958, he married Dorothy Frye in Trinity Lutheran Church, Carrollton, and the couple began to work on the family farm alongside Dale's parents. Dale and Dorothy sold the farm in 1983, and Dale then went to work for the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, from which he retired. The couple resided in Applecreek until they moved to Park Village in Dover due to health reasons.

He was an active member of Applecreek's First United Methodist Church, where he was a Sunday school teacher and tutor. Additionally, he was a member of the Leesville Masonic Lodge and Order of the Eastern Star; Lincoln Grange 2448 in Harrison County; Ruritan; Fair Board of Harrison County; Johnny Appleseed Days Committee, Applecreek; Holstein Association; and was a 4-H advisor for thirty-five years.

Foremost, Dale enjoyed time spent with Dorothy, their children and grandchildren. In his spare time, he liked woodworking, gardening and taking an evening walk.

In addition to his wife, Dorothy, Dale is survived by his children, Ronald (Marianne) Bowers of Silvercreek, New York, Brenda (Michael) Kennedy of Clearwater, Florida, Martha (Tom) Fondriest of Dover, and Samuel (Christy) Bowers of Applecreek; his grandchildren, Brooke Kennedy of Lexington, Kentucky, Nicole (Bryan) Neth of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Jacob and Matthew Fondriest of Dover, Blake Bowers of Cincinnati, Joseph, Emily and Samuel Bowers of Silvercreek, and Lilly and Emily Bowers of Applecreek; his sister, Thelma Louise Hayward of Sacramento, California.

Besides his parents, Dale was preceded in death by his brothers, Francis Kirk and Eugene Liggett.

A funeral service will be held Thursday, April 9, at 12 noon, in the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory, Dover, with Pastor Brian Flood officiating. The Dover post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars will conduct military rites at the funeral home, and then there will be a luncheon in the Toland-Herzig Monarch Center on the Boulevard in Dover. Burial will be Thursday at 3 p.m. in Leesville Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to call at the funeral home on Thursday, 11 a.m. to 12 noon. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Dale, please visit the Obituaries and Flowers link on the funeral home's website.

The family suggests that contributions in Dale's memory be made to Society for Equal Access, 1458 Fifth St. N.W., New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.