Posted by XXXXXX on May 2, 2008:

Thomas W. Bowen ’48 No. 16487 7 May 1926 – 25 Mar 1994 Died in Buffalo, NY Interred in West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY Thomas Willard Bowen was bom in Hastings, NE, on 7 May, 1926. When he was very young, his family moved to Fayetteville, AR, his home for many years. Tom always wanted a career in the Army. He was appointed to West Point, and quickly distinguished himself by being a company commander and graduating 16th in a class of 301. Having his choice of branches, upon graduaton he chose Cavalry. Married after graduation, he and Betty started their life together at Ft. Riley and then went to Ft. Knox for the Armor Basic Course. Their first home was a humble basement apartment in Junction City, KS. Next they moved up in the world to an apartment over a hardware store in Elizabethtown, KY. They rented one of the first TVs from their landlord, filled the bathtub they shared with Jim and Bev Hall with beer, and became the social center of the class. Tom’s first troop duty was with the 15th Constabulary Squadron at Weiden, Germany, patrolling the international border from Coburg to Passau. Their daughter, Jan, was born during that tour. After a tour with the 1st Armored Division at Ft. Hood, TX, they returned to Ft. Knox for the Advanced Course. There they lived in a converted hospital called “The Old Cantonment.” Tom, along with classmates Donn Starry and Walt Plummer, majored in beer brewing. There first batches were less than exceptional. They all carried designations such as “Old Cantonment No. 6”. By about “No. 13” they got it right, and the Bowen quarters again became the class social center. After going the European route twice with a rest period supervising cheerleaders and mules at West Point, the Bowens switched with vigor to the Far East route. Betty and the kids even home-towned in Saigon with Tom, until dependent evacuation brought them home. After one year tours at Ft. Hood and Ft. Carlisle, Tom went back to Viet Nam with the family eventually movmg to the Philippines. This allowed Tom to commute from his job as “Mayor of Hue.” One of his more memorable experiences was riding the front of the first locomotive of the first train into Hue in 15 years, to demonstrate to the Vietnamese that it was now safe to do so. Always a world traveler, Tom was again assigned to Germany for duty with the 4th Armored Division, first as Chief of Staff and then Comander of the 1st Brigade before becoming Chief of Staff of V Corps. Tom served in the Pentagon as the Bowens went their separate ways. Betty and the children remained in Florida. But the blow was softened by his being promoted to brigadier general. In 1976, Tom met and married Maureen Williams. Their first home was the log cabin designated for the Assistant Commanding General of the 5th Infantry Division at Ft. Polk, LA. The following year, Tom was transferred to the Presidio of San Francisco where he was Chief of Staff of the Sixth Army. Tom and Maureen were able to entertain people from various cultures and countries. No one was better at making people feel at home than Tom. One of his greatest qualities was his non-confrontational style — he was the embodiment of the English proverb “Use soft words and hard arguments.” He was always able to direct a conversation down a different path if it generated too much heat. After retirement, Tom and Maureen moved back to Louisiana, where he was CEO of a Lake Charles company. It was great fun living in Louisiana. Classmate Wally and Nancy Williams lived in Baton Rouge. No one laughed harder or reminisced more than Wally and Tom, particularly when the conversation turned to Wally’s “command” of the German language. In 1980, Tom and Maureen built their dream house in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Tom would fondly call Fayetteville and his home “Camelot.” But life was getting too easy for him, and he wasn’t ready for retirement. He was invited to Buffalo, Maureen’s hometown, to become vice president of a bank. Tom was unbelievably adaptable. His assimilation into the many communities in which he lived was proof of his love for life. Eventually, Tom became a stock broker with Dean Witter and loved the interaction with his clients. He became an active member of the Buffalo Community, sitting on many boards and helping with many charities. Tom was a great believer in giving back to a community that which he took. Anyone who knew Tom knew of his wonderful sense of humor. Tom touched many people with his smile. That is how he will be remembered always. He was not a profane man — “Goldarn it” was the strongest oath that passed his lips. He maintained a dignified bearing with a ramrod stature and never roughened his conversation. He therefore gained a respect many never achieve. On 2 Mar 1994, Tom took ill at his and Maureen’s retreat “At Ease.” He was flown by helicopter to the hospital where he valiantly struggled for his life for three weeks. This kind and loving giant passed away, but his spirit will always be with those who knew and loved him so much. He is terribly missed. Tom is survived by his wife Maureen, daughter Jan, son Tom, three grandchildren, his brother, and his sister.

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