Benjamin A. "Ben" Bowar

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 26, 2007 at St. Louis Catholic Church in Paynesville for Benjamin A. “Ben” Bowar, age 76 of Paynesville, who died Monday, January 22 at the St. Cloud Hospital. Reverend Richard Leisen and Reverend Thomas Clement will concelebrate. Entombment will be in St. Louis Catholic Cemetery Mausoleum.

Friends may call between 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Thursday at the Daniel-Anderson Funeral Home in Paynesville and after 10:00 a.m. Friday at the church. St. Louis Daughters of Isabella will pray at 4:30 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 7:00 p.m. and Knights of Columbus Council #3820 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Ben was born on August 14, 1930 in Faulkton, South Dakota to Herman and Josephine (Wherry) Bowar. He was raised on their family farm and attended school in Orient, South Dakota. Ben married Geraldine E. Gebhart on September 18, 1950 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Orient, South Dakota. They lived in Faulkton, South Dakota where Ben worked for the County Highway Department until moving to Miles City, Montana in 1959 where he was a meat cutter. They moved to Paynesville in 1964 and Ben worked as a meat cutter and worked construction for Runge Construction while they built the new high school and placed the new addition on the Paynesville Hospital. Ben was also the groundskeeper at the Paynesville High School until he became disabled in 1983. He was a member of St. Louis Parish, a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus Council #3820, an honorary member of the Future Farmers of America while working at the high school and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 30 years.

Ben loved life and lived life in the moment and to the fullest. He enjoyed the outdoors, woodworking, laughing, traveling, his dogs, his country home, bird watching, watching airplanes fly over, chocolate ice cream and watching the harvest. Ben especially enjoyed spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren.

Ben is survived by his wife, Gerry of Paynesville; children, Terry (Connie) of Danbury, Wisconsin, Bev Bowar of Sartell, Barb (Rick) Wagner of Alexandria, Marilyn (Bill) Anderson of Appleton, Ginny (Steve) Chevalier of Paynesville, Craig (fiancée Brenda) of Shakopee, Mary (Jason) Rausch of Paynesville, Carol (Steve) Kubista of Montevideo; 18 grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; one great granddaughter; six step-great grandchildren; brothers, Keith (Sara) of Montgomery, Alabama, Eugene (Jeanette) of Faulkton, South Dakota; sisters, Gwen (Cecil) Sullivan of Porterville, California, Hazel Holt of Faulkton, South Dakota; sister-in-law, Rosalie Bowar of Cresbard, South Dakota; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Doyle.

Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers.