Charles Edward Bowdle

Charles Edward Bowdle , age 71, passed away February 25, 2016 at 4:26pm with his family by his bedside.  He was born to Howard Edward Bowdle and Kaethia (Davis) Bowdle who preceded him in death.  He was also preceded in death by his grandparents, Pearl and Grace (Hughes) Bowdle, Edgar and Bessie (Swank) Davis and his in-laws Frank and Dorothy (Beekman, Allison) Bayes.

The house he was born in was situated in the heart of Plano, but was later named Dogtown because when you came into town you were met with a multitude of barking dogs. His house was well known because when it was built it laid on the Ross, Fayette county line.  In describing the four room house it was said “We slept in Fayette County and ate our meals in Ross County”.  There is only one road sign that remains that has a Plano Road sign one way and the sign Dogtown Road the other way.  Charles spent most of his early childhood in the New Holland area.  After his marriage he lived in Washington C.H. and the Fayette County area for 42 years.  Then moved to Grove City and lived there until his death.  Charles went to High school in New Holland and was in the last senior class.  The county seniors combined together at Bloomingburg High School and graduated as the first class to do so as Miami Trace in 1962.

Charles was an only child but he had a host of cousins that he dearly loved.  They were:  Roger Sever (deceased), Richard, Ronald, Russel, Randy, Rodney, Raymond, Robin, Carol, Linda, Janet and Melody Sever.  Shirley, Kenneth and George Conaway, Gary and Sherry Browder, Eleanor Revis, Rick and Glenn (deceased) Boggs.  Margaret “Cookie” Stevens, Karen Wilkerson and John Davis.

Charles also had a passion to work with children.  His coaching career spanned over a 14 year time period.  He coached 5th & 6th grade basketball at New Holland then moved to the Junior High team that combined 7th and 8th grade boys. Miami Trace then made a major change and had a countywide 7th grade and a county wide 8th grade boys basketball teams.  These teams were in the Miami Trace S.C.O.L. League.  He was the 1st coach for the 8th grade S.C.O.L. team in the county.  He also coached pee-wee boys football, tee-ball baseball up through 6th grade baseball and girls softball. He enjoyed watching his children play sports for Miami Trace High School.

When Charles hung up his coaching shoes he was invited to join the Miami Trace Athletic Boosters Club.  He served as president several years and was the first member to introduce the “Panther Burger”. He was also instrumental in having color programs printed, special made-to-order  badges, and pocket calendars available for Booster Fundraisers .  He served in the athletic booster club from 1976 to 1992.  He stepped down when his son graduated Miami Trace and went on to play baseball for Urbana University.

Charles was a dedicated worker and drove a fork lift for Mead Containers. He worked for 40 years in the same building.  He served as President off and on over the years for the Local Union 1070.  He retired in 2006 due to health issues and relocated to Grove City, Ohio.

Charles was an avid collector and loved going to auctions with his wife Judy.  He collected many things but a few of his favorites were; Hopalong Cassidy Western items, Sinclair Gas items, Coke items, various ash trays, bells, miniature lamps and yard sticks from past businesses in and around Fayette County.  He also loved having a huge Christmas display that covered the entire ground floor of his house on Country Manor Drive in Washington C.H.  He enjoyed adding to it each year to make it a bit larger.

He is survived by his wife and children.  He married Judy May (Allison) August 16th 1964 at the Sugar Grove Methodist Church.  They spent 51 loving years together making memories and enjoying time with their children and grand-children.  They had four children, Kerrie Lynne (Chris) Marshall, Carletta LeAnne Swackhammer and son-in-law Chad Swackhammer, all of Grove City, Kevin Craig (Mendie) Bowdle of Urbana, and step-daughter Mary Elizabeth (Edward) Escalante of Delaware.  Grandchildren:  Amanda Noel, Ashley Nicole and Aaron Christopher Marshall, MaKenzie Lynne, Macie LeAnne, Mallorie Rebecca and Maggie Rachelle Swackhammer, Kaleb Craig and Kolin Ray Bowdle of Urbana, Brock Alan Melvin of Washington C.H., Nathan (Megan) Melvin  from Delaware.  Great Grandchildren:  Ray Alan, Zane Thomas and Liliana Grace. Brother-in-law Stephen Allison of Greenfield, Ohio, Brother-in-law Robert Allison and brother and sister-n-law Loren (Mary) Cartwright of Washington C.H., brother-n-law Benny (Mary) Bayes of Grove City, Ohio, Lowell Bayes of Indiana, Shirley Bobbitt of Circleville.

A funeral service will be held on March 1, 2016 at Roberts Funeral Home in Washington Court House at 7pm with Pastor Danny Dodds officiating. The family will receive friends from 3pm until the time of service. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Charles Bowdle Scholarship Fund at Miami Trace, 3818 SR 41 NW, Washington CH, OH 43160 or Kindred Foundation, 680 South Fourth Street, Louisville, KY 40202.