Obituary | Ronald "Ron" J. Bowman of Bowman, North Dakota | Krebsbach Funeral Service (2024)

Ronald J. Bowman, 82, of Bowman, ND, passed away on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at the Southwest Healthcare Hospital in Bowman.

Funeral Services for Ron will be on Saturday, July 24, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bowman United Methodist Church. Pastor Ray Sherwood will officiate with burial to follow in the Bowman Cemetery. There will be a Family and Friends Service on Friday, July 23, 2021 at the Bowman United Methodist Church beginning at 7:00 p.m. Visitation for Ron will be on Friday, July 23, 2021 from 12-5 at the Funeral Home Chapel and from 6-9 at the Church.

Ronald (Ron) John Bowman, 82, of Bowman, ND was welcomed into the Lord and Savior’s arms on July 20, 2021, at the Southwest Healthcare Hospital in Bowman. Ron was born on July 2, 1939 to John H. Bowman and Clara W. Petersen Bowman. He was the youngest of three children.

Ron attended school in Bowman where he was involved in music, football, basketball, baseball, and track until graduating in 1957. He furthered his education at Jamestown College and graduated in 1961 with a degreein Music Education. Ron went on to teach high school band and chorus in Bowbells and Flaxton, ND before returning to Bowman in 1964. He started an award-winning marching band program, competing in the Cheyenne Frontier Days and the Calgary Stampede. Ron was a very influential teacher and mentor, touching the lives of many students. He continued to teach in Bowman and Rhame until 1970.

While teaching in Bowman, Ron caught the eye of second grade teacher Orpha Mae Mahin and on August 12, 1967, they were married. To this union 3 daughters were born: Kirsten, Renae, and Alison.

Ron went into farming and ranching full time and became owner of the Bowman Charolais Ranch. His love of Charolais turned into 24 years of registered bull sales. He was a member of the ND Charolais Breeders Assoc.Board of Directors and President and a member of the ND Beef Cattle Improvement Assoc. Ron acquired many awards throughout his ranching/farming career: Outstanding Young Men in America, 1980, NDSU Agriculturist of Bowman County, 1980, Who’s Who in ND, 1984, NDCBA Seedstock Producer Award, 1988, American International Charolais Association in Houston, TX, 1989, and Bowman/Slope Achievement winner in 2003.

Music was ingrained in Ron’s life from an early age. He could play trombone, cello, pick a guitar and plunk a piano. But most of all, he sang and directed. He was the director of the Bowman Community Chorus from 1972until semi-retiring in 2019. Ron was a vocal director and male lead in the productions of “Unsinkable Molly Brown,” “Showboat,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “The King and I,” and “South Pacific”. Ron was always in charge of directing a choir of cousins during the talent show of thenumerous Bowman family reunions.

The Bowman United Methodist Church was also an integral part of Ron’s life. As a child, he served as “water boy” and “brick boy” for the construction of the original church in 1949. Ron also directed the church choir for many years and could be found performing solos on holidays such as Christmas and Easter and singing at weddings, funerals, and grandchildren’s baptisms. The “Lord’s Prayer” and “He’s Alive” were just a couple of the song selections he was known for. Ron was also a member of the church Board of Administration and was very instrumental in the addition of the Fellowship Hall.

As Ron walked in the Lord’s steps, his unwavering faith kept him going through the tough and lean times, the good and best times. His Bible is testimony to his daily devotions and prayer time, as many verses are underlined and notated with his hand. His convictions molded his life as a loving husband and devoted father as he shared his love of church and Christ with his family and others.

Ron loved the outdoors and while farming or checking cattle he would also be scouting for deer, antelope, pheasants, and any other animals. Though he enjoyedhunting it was more about being out in nature and spending time with those he hunted with. His daughters and grandchildren were often told they would, “get a nickel for spotting the first deer,” but rarely was there a payout.

When Ron and Orpha retired from the cattle business, they were involved in “Nomads” for nine years and traveled to different churches in Arizona and Texas helping with repairs, painting, and upkeep. They also volunteered with the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation from running mini golf to serving brownies at the fondue. Ron loved the Medora musical and every yearit was “the best ever.”

Ron was very skilled at leather tooling, making beautiful Bible covers, and many other keepsake pieces. He also loved woodworking, golfing, fishing, driving his father’s 1948 Willys Jeep, traveling, photography, and was known to give lengthy slide show presentations. Most of all he loved the farming way of life and spending time with his family.

Ron is survived by his loving wife of nearly 54 years,Orpha, daughters Kirsten (Nate) Belcher, Renae (Chris) Lunde, Alison (Justin) Reisenauer, grandchildren Grace, Nadya, and Amina Belcher, and Zachary, Grant, and Anna Mae Lunde. Other family include brother-in-lawsSherman Oakland, and Bill (Peggy) Tarnasky. Nephews and nieces, Jeff (Kim) Oakland, Beth Mollman, Paul (Lisa) Tarnasky, and Jill (Dave) Schmid.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, John and Clara Bowman, sisters Marilyn Oakland and Myrna Dell Tarnasky, and nephews, Daniel Tarnasky and Stuart Mollman.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Bowman United Methodist Church or the Bowman Community Chorus.

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