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William K. Bowen Obituary

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William K. Bowen

Oil City, PA

February 27, 1925 - November 21, 2020

William K. Bowen Obituary

William K. Bowen, 95, of Oil City, died Saturday, November 21, 2020 at home. Born February 27, 1925, he was a son of the late David L. and Florence J. (Kugler) Bowen. A 1942 graduate of Oil City High School, he worked first at Citizens Banking Company in Oil City, then served as Staff Sergeant at Fifteenth Air Force Headquarters in Colorado Springs, graduated from Bryant and Stratton Business Institute in Buffalo in 1949, and returned to Oil City in 1952 where he worked in Pennzoil’s Accounting Department until its move to Texas in 1965. The beginning of Medicare in 1965 soon led to similar job offers from both the Oil City and the Franklin Hospitals. Although Franklin’s hospital was half the size of Oil City’s at the time, he chose Franklin, working in various accounting positions including CFO. Over the years, the positions of the two hospitals gradually reversed as Franklin grew to more than 200 beds and Oil City gradually lost its patient base. At the time of the Oil City/Franklin/UPMC mergers, he agreed to manage the merged hospital foundations and remained with UPMC Northwest Foundation until his retirement in 1996 at age 71. Bill was predeceased by two brothers, Samuel M. Bowen of Oil City and David L. Bowen, Jr. and his wife Zoe of Hagerstown, MD. He is survived by four nieces and their families, Christine and Jorge Cuevas and their daughter of Clover, SC; Jane and Fred Baer; Ann Duffey, her son, two daughters, their spouses, and six grandchildren; and Peggy and Brad Overcash, their son, his wife, and two granddaughters. Bill’s involvement in community activities included Oil City’s Community Playhouse where he enjoyed acting, building stage sets, and serving as president. He also served on the board of the Silver Fox Playhouse, was President of the Venango County Historical Society, remaining on the board until it had acquired and paid for its property at 301 South Park Street. He served as a board member of UPMC Northwest Foundation, and for the Hospital Financial Management Association of Northwest Pennsylvania. But Bill’s “purpose” in life revolved around the family home he had lived in since 1928 when an aunt, Katherine (Kugler) Meese, a widow, invited her sister Florence Bowen, her husband and three boys to come live with her in the family home where Florence had been born and where the family had lived since 1871 when there were only two other homes on the street. Although Bill was less than four years old at the time, the change so impressed him that he felt a need to preserve the traditions and welcoming “feel” of the home. A celebration of Bill’s life will be held at a later date. Gifts in his memory may be made to a charity of one’s choice or to the Venango VNA Foundation at 491 Allegheny Blvd, Franklin, PA 16323. Interment will be in Grove Hill Cemetery. To leave a special message, obtain directions, or view other helpful services, please visit www.morrisonhome.com.

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