HARTLAND, VT

James A. Bowers, 100, a lifetime resident of Hartland, passed away Monday, March 18, at the Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor.

He was born January 1, 1919 in Hartland the son of Albert D. and Goldie (Dean) Bowers. He received his schooling in Hartland and attended Windsor High School. He married Phyllis Farnsworth on February 14, 1940. Mr. Bowers was a veteran of the of the US Army serving during World War II with the 1st Infantry Division in Europe and honorably discharges in 1945. He received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Good Conduct, and the World War II Victory Medals for his service.

After the war, Mr. Bowers returned to Hartland and was employed as a mail messenger and caretaker at the Hartland Mail Depot. He later became caretaker of Damon Hall. He was employed by Taylor Mead restoring furniture and building cabinets in Ascutney, and later at Martins' Mill in Hartland making doors and windows. In 1942 he went to work for the former Cone Automatic Machine Tool Company in Windsor and later for Split Ballbearing in Lebanon until returning to Cones. He retired in 1983. Mr. Bowers enjoyed building and working with wood and also worked as a carpenter with Bill Overman of Plainfield, NH.

He was a lifetime member of the Hartland American Legion Post #48. Mr. Bowers was also a member of the Battle of the Bulge Tri State Chapter #17 of VT, NH and ME, the Hartland First Congregational Church and the Cones Retirement Club.

His loving and devoted wife of seventy seven years, Phyllis, passed away in 2017. He was also predeceased by one daughter, Betsy Bowers in 1946, by one son, James Bowers, Jr. in 2012 and by four sisters, Ethel Bowers, Julia Rockwood, Hilda Frye and Beulah Curtis.

Survivors include, one daughter, Linda Busch and her husband, Fred of West Windsor, two sons, Herbert Bowers and his wife, Ines of Farwell, MI, and Eric Bowers and his fiancé,  Pamela Hanan of Hartland, one sister, Marlene Somerville of Portsmouth, NH, nine grandchildren, nineteen great grandchildren, one great great granddaughter and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service for Mr. and Mrs. Bowers will be held at the Hartland Village Cemetery on Saturday, June 1 at 2:00 PM. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hartland First Congregational Church at PO Box 454, Hartland, VT 05048 or to the Hartland American Legion Post #48 at PO Box 122, Hartland, VT 05048.

The Knight Funeral Home in Windsor is entrusted with the arrangements.