GLENBURN – Kenneth R. Bowness Sr., 72, died Sept. 26, 2011, at a Bangor hospital. He was born April 22, 1939, son of Frank and Eleanor (Noyes) Bowness.
Kenny attended Augusta and Chelsea schools. He served proudly in the U.S. Army from 1962 until 1968. He walked in many Veterans’ Day parades with his veteran walking stick. Kenny worked for many years as a diesel mechanic for various local companies, eventually retiring from Pepsi Co. in 2004. He raced stockcars at many Maine tracks from the late 1960s until the end of this 2011 season. He built, worked on and raced his own stockcars with the support of his wife. Kenny was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed motorcycling, four-wheeling, feeding wild birds and fishing. He took great pride in watching his grandchildren’s sports.
Kenny is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, Joyce; two daughters, Barbara and her husband, Daniel Overlock, of Georgia, and Deborah and her husband, Steven Thomas, of Hermon; two stepchildren, Robin and her husband, Wendell White, of Hudson, and Ronald Wilcox and his wife, Angela, of Levant; grandchildren, Benjamin, Monica, Jordyn, Dominique, Whitney, Noel, Brett, Courtney, Jacob, Collin and Emden; several great-grandchildren; sisters, Gail and her husband, Robert Wytovicz, Vivian and her husband, Bob Main, Beverly Miller, and Helen Pearson, all of Florida; his father-in-law, Harold Wilcox; and brother-in-law, David Wilcox and his wife, Penny. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his only son, Kenneth R. Bowness Jr.; brothers, Maurice Webster and Walter Bowness; and a sister, Brenda Russell. He leaves behind close friends, Kenny and Ann Fitz; and will be sadly missed by his three dogs, Sunnie, Kota and Lexi.
Relatives and friends are welcome to call 6-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor, where a funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, with the Rev. Stephen D. Hall, pastor of Harvest Chapel, Levant, officiating. Interment will be at Pleasant View Cemetery, Glenburn. Those who wish to remember Kenny in a special way may make gifts in his memory to Bangor Humane Society, 693 B Mount Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences to the family may be expressed at
www.BrookingsSmith.com.