Obituary for Jack Bowker

Jack C. Bowker, longtime resident and businessman of Ponca City, Oklahoma, passed away Thursday, September 10, 2015 at his residence. He was 90.

Memorial services will be held at 3:30 pm, Tuesday September 15, 2015 at the First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Dr. Bruce L. Taylor officiating. There will be a family burial at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Ponca City prior to the service. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory.

Jack was born on December 23, 1924 to Fredrick Bryan and Alene Coryell Bowker in Junction City, KS. He attended Ponca City schools, including Ponca Military Academy. He left school three months shy of graduation to join the United States Marine Corp where he served from 1943 to 1945. Following his discharge from the Marine Corp he attended Oklahoma A & M, graduating in 1947 with a degree in Business Administration. While at A&M, he met the love of his life, Patricia Joy Dodson. They married on November 21, 1948 and celebrated 64 years of marriage prior to her death in 2012.

Jack became the nation’s youngest Ford Motor Company dealer when he purchased his first auto dealership in Pawnee, Oklahoma in 1950. He followed up that success by acquiring Ford dealerships in Blackwell in 1954 and Ponca City in 1960. Throughout his 65 years as an automobile dealer, Jack has won many awards and accolades including Outstanding Dealer Award from Ford Motor Company, NACE (North American Customer Excellence) Award, past director of the Oklahoma Auto Dealers Association and the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year.

Jack was also active in the community, serving as past president of Rotary, Chairman of the Ponca City United Way, board member of Security Bank and Trust and on the Board of Trustees of First Presbyterian Church in Ponca City. He was honored to be a member of the Young President’s Organization for many years.

He was very instrumental in real estate development in Ponca City, developing Ponca Plaza Shopping Center in 1974. He also owned and developed several other businesses in Ponca City and the surrounding areas.

He was an avid Oklahoma State University supporter. In 1997 he and Patti established the Jack and Patti Bowker Endowed Scholarship, which benefits Kay County students attending OSU. In 2001, he received the Oklahoma State Distinguished Alumni Award. Jack was a proud member of the Epsilon Epsilon chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

Survivors include his daughter, Sallilee Bryant and husband Pat of Edmond, OK, son, Cory Bowker and wife Lynn of Ponca City, grandchildren: Scott Bryant and wife Blake of Edmond, OK, Cressilee Butler and husband Casey of Edmond, OK, Maggie Bowker of Nichols Hills, OK, Jackson Bowker of Stillwater, OK great grandchild Fowler Bryant, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Jack was preceded in death by his beloved wife, his parents, and siblings, Dorothy Gunn, Fredrick Bowker, Robert Bowker and Joan Smith.

Honorary casket bearers will be Wallace Edwards, Duke Edwards, Richard Keathly, Jim Cochran, Lee Evans, Bruce Evans, Tom Quillin, Ed Keller, Bill Rodgers, and the Employees of Jack Bowker Ford Lincoln. The family would like to offer special thanks to Jack’s caregivers; Karen, Cassie, Tina, Rita and more recently, Jenny and Ashlyn.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Marland Children’s Home, 1300 Summers Place, Ponca City, OK 74604, First Presbyterian Church, 1501 E. Grand Ave., Ponca City, OK 74604 or Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, 445 Fairview, Ponca City, OK 74601.

Visitation will be from 4pm to 6pm on Sunday, September 13, at Trout Funeral Home.

Source: Trout Funeral Home