Residence: Vidor, Texas (formerly of Monticello)
Died: Sunday, May 12, 2013
Location: Kindred Town and Country Hospital in Houston, Texas
 
 
Age: 87
Date of Birth: Monday, August 03, 1925
Birth place:

Branch: Navy

Service: World War II
Father: Gilbert Bowsher
 
Mother: Maud (Leslie) Bowsher
 
Marital Status: Widowed
Resided in: Lived in Vidor, Texas since 1977, moving from Monticello, Indiana
Funeral Date: Monday, May 20, 2013
Funeral Location: 10:30 a.m., Celebration of Life Service at the Miller - Roscka Funeral Home of Monticello, Indiana
Clergy: Chaplain Tim Frank of the Monticello Veterans Honor Guard.
Burial will take place:
I.O.O.F. Riverview Cemetery in rural Monticello, Indiana, with Full Military Rites by the Monticello Veterans Honor Guard of the American Legion, VFW, and AmVets Post.
Visitation will be:
4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Sunday, May 19, 2013, at the Miller - Roscka Funeral Home of Monticello, Indiana.
Biographical Information:
Keith was a native of Monticello, Indiana, and had lived in Vidor, Texas since 1977. Keith was in the Monticello High school Class of 1943. He joined the Navy February 3, 1943 and served four years. Keith served as a 2nd class Gunner's Mate on the U.S.S. Catoctin, an AGC-a disguised flagship which housed President Franklin Roosevelt during the Yalta Conference in the Black Sea to meet with Stalin, at the end of W.W.II.He received a medal from the Russian government recognizing his service during W.W.II. The medal commemorated "the Fiftieth Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War". He reenlisted, 1951 in the Korean Conflict as a Gunner's Mate 2nd class on the transport U.S.S. Noble. He and his crew mates evacuated 6,000 Korean civilians from three cities north of the 38th Parallel, and took them to Puson. As they could only evacuate 1,500 at a time it took four trips to retrieve the refugees. The President of Korea Synman Rhee gave the ship the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and they also received a unit citation from the U.S. Navy. He attended Butler University for 2 years and then went onto work as a Iron-Worker in Lake County and then transferred and retired from Vidor, Texas. He was a member of the American Legion and the VFW post both of Vidor, Texas. Keith had a wonderful sense of humor who loved hunting and fishing. He and Frances spent many hours fishing together. Keith could be found out on the water fishing when no one else would be out. He was asked in 2000 to restore the aft gun turrets on the U.S.S. Orleck destroyer, which was originally launched in 1945. The Orleck became a museum ship in Beaumont, Texas on which Keith continued as a passionate volunteer up to the time of his death.
Special Services: Full Military Rites by the Monticello Veterans Honor Guard of the American Legion, VFW, and AmVets Post, will be conducted at the cemetery .
Memorial Information: Memorials may be given the The American Cancer Society. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
Marriage Information: He married JoAnn Camp on December 5, 1946 in Monticello, Indiana. They later divorced. He them married Frances Burgard on Good Friday, April 9, 1971 in Crown Point, Indiana. She died February 1, 2009.
Survivors include:
Children, Alan Bowsher of Belen, New Mexico,Patty Ann Bowsher of Tyler, Texas, Pam Bowsher of Pearl, Mississippi, and Tommy Bowsher of Hammond, Indiana; Grandchildren, Leigh Elah Bowsher- Hernandez, Allyna Leslee Bowsher, and Belinda Bowsher; Great Grandson, Mason Alan Hernandez; Nieces,Judy Baker-Elliott,Brenda Bowhser,Elaine Boiko.
Preceded in Death:
Parents, Gilbert & Maud (Leslie) Bowsher;Wife,Frances (Burgard) Bowsher;Sisters, Marion Butler, and Virginia Pala;Brother, Lloyd "Buck" Bowsher.
Arrangements by:
Miller - Roscka Funeral Home, 6368 E. US 24, Monticello, Indiana, 47960 ( 574 ) 583-8488.