Joseph Lester Bowser, 69, died May 5, 2017 at his home in Leonardtown, MD.
Born July 19, 1947 in Osterberg, PA, he was the son of the late Eugene Dale Bowser and Esther Mae (Hamm) Bowser.
Joe moved from the mountains of Pennsylvania around 1965 to Hagerstown, MD where he became a certified welder. He worked for Steamfitters Local 602 in Washington, DC before starting his own business, Bowser Welding Corporation.
Joe married his wife of 39 years, Marian Longmore Bowser on December 17, 1977 in Camp Springs, MD. In the early 1980’s Joe went to work for Tower Cranes of America, in Lorton, VA, a job he truly enjoyed. In 1983 the Bowser’s moved to Hollywood, MD. Joe spent 30 years working at Patuxent River Naval Air Station as a government contractor at Atlantic Targets and Marine Operations then at the Atlantic Test Range. He retired on July 18, 2015 as the facilities coordinator.
Throughout his life he was a dedicated volunteer to organizations such as St. Mary’s County Park’s and Recreation, 3rd District Optimist Club, St John Francis Regis Knights of Columbus, and he enjoyed serving as an usher at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Joe’s greatest joys were his Catholic faith, his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. He loved fishing, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the mountains of Tennessee and most especially his own front porch.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Tammie Vosburg (Steve) of Hellertown, PA; James Bowser (Rebecca) of Hollywood, MD; Theresa Bickham (Brandon) of Parkville, MD; Christina Johnson (Waylon) of Leonardtown, MD; Barbara Kelly of Florida; 12 extraordinary grandchildren, his pride and joy; one brother, Richard Bowser (Dorene) of Waynesboro, PA; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings William, Kenneth and Ronald Bowser, Peggy Feathers,and Audrey Stains, as well as his daughter Kimberly Bloom.
The family will receive friends for Joe’s Life Celebration and visitation on Tuesday, May 9 from 5 PM to 8 PM with prayers recited at 7 PM at the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated a St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church in Hollywood, MD on Wednesday, May 10 at 10:00 AM. The Reverend Raymond Schmidt will be the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Aloysius Catholic Cemetery in Leonardtown, MD.
Pall Bearers will be Steve Vosburg, Waylon Johnson, Brandon Bickham, Steven Vosburg, Thomas Vosburg and Steve Raley.
