Ross D. Bowser, 85, of Worthington, died Sunday, June 3, 2018, at VNA Hospice in Butler. He was born June 19, 1932, in Kittanning to the late Viola (Toy) and Loran Bowser. He was a lifelong resident of the area and a member of Cornerstone Assembly of God Church in West Kittanning.
Ross also was a member of the Worthington American Legion. In 1950 Ross joined the U.S. Navy and served during the Korean War where he earned the Navy Occupational Service Medal with “Europe Clasp”. He proudly served aboard the USS San Marcos and was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea where their ship conducted operations with the Sixth Fleet in territories ranging from the South of France to Benghazi and Phaleron Bay.
He got married in his third year while serving in the Navy. Shortly after their first homestead in Brookville, they moved to Michigan where he learned his meat cutting skills at Kroger. After 10 years he moved his family back to Pennsylvania where he built Bowser’s Meat Shop in Worthington.
The business grew and he purchased Slagle’s Meat Packing, where he became famous for his ring bologna and smoked meats. He was a family man who truly enjoyed his wife and children. He enjoyed taking his family on vacations, camping, and boating.
He loved fishing in Michigan and at his second home in Florida, where he loved coastal fishing with his siblings and parents. He also enjoyed going to South Carolina to visit his son and daughter and their families. He was a loving generous Christian man who was a born again Christian.
He had many friends and will be missed dearly by all who knew him. Survivors include: his wife Catherine (Best) Bowser, of Worthington, with whom he just celebrated 65 years of marriage on May 16; daughters Vicki and husband, Stephan Driggs, of Malta, Ohio; Karen and husband, Pete Gallo, of Freeport, Pa. ; Debra and husband Wayne Judd of Hodges, S.C.; Rhonda Ashe of Kittanning, Pa.
; Paula and husband, Fred Henry, of West Kittanning, Pa. ; son Jim Bowser and wife, Rainie, of Hodges, S.C.; sisters Martha Wible and Rose McElfresh; Brother Ronald (Barb) Bowser;17 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren; 4 great great grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by: parents Viola (Toy) and Loran Bowser; brothers, Samuel, William, Ralph and Sydney Bowser.
Friends will be received Wednesday from 2 p.m. until the time of the service at 6 p.m. in the Cornerstone Assembly of God Church, with Pastor Mike Bobbitt, his church pastor officiating. A funeral dinner and time of fellowship will be held following the service at 7:00pm at the American Legion in Worthington Funeral arrangements are being made by the F. Duane Snyder Funeral Home, in Worthington. The funeral home can be reached at 724- 297-3301.
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