I received this message today:
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we, the family of Douglas Bowles, inform you of his passing. Doug died on Sunday, November 9, 2008, as the result of a plane crash. Lost with Doug were his grandson Joshua, whom he loved very much, as well as two friends, Dre and David. Our hearts go out to all the families involved.
We are gathering to celebrate Doug's life and share stories on Friday, November 14 at 5:00 p.m. at the
Mile High Airport Cafe at the Hesperia Airport, 7070 Summit Valley Road, Hesperia, 92345. Please join us and pass the information along to any others that knew Doug and might like to attend. In the event you are unable to attend and would like us to share your thoughts or comments, please email us. If there are any questions, please call us at Doug's home (760)947-9350.
Sincerely,
Doug's Family
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 5:23 PM
Subject: Re: Regarding a Memorial Service for Doug Bowles
This day will be burned into my memory for the shock and sadness at the loss of Doug. I cannot attend the Memorial as I am now retired in Arkansas. We met in 1978 after I was transferred from St. Louis to MDAC-West in Huntington Beach. Doug was a Manager in the Division where I was assigned. They had a flying club and although I was not a pilot I joined and learned to fly in the club's Cessna 150s and 172s. After I got my Private Pilot Certificate I rented the club's airplanes and was gradually expanding the locations where Jeanine and I would go on weekends. I had the club's new Piper Archer II scheduled for the weekend of October 30 and 31, 1982 and we were looking forward to a trip somewhere when I received a call from Doug. He said that the club was starting a new "Fly-in" program and all of the aircraft were reserved for the first trip to the Furnace Creek Inn at Death Valley. As you might guess I was not pleased with this disruption in our plans. Doug told me that if I signed up to participate in the fly-in he would assign the Archer (N8304L) to me but I would have to take two passengers and baggage with us. To this point I had been a loner and was not interested but I discussed it with Jeanine and we reluctantly decided to go. It was one of the best decisions of my life. Over 50 people participated in that first fly-in and it started the best series of adventures and friendships I have ever known in my 72 years. With Doug as our leader we started on this spectacular adventure that went to:
Death Valley several times
Riding at the Lazy-K-Bar ranch in Tucson
Skiing at Lake Tahoe
Hotel Serenedad in Mulege, Mexico several times
Rafting on the American River near Placerville, California
Train riding and Chuck Wagon Show at Durango, Colorado twice
Tombstone, Arizona
Casinos and shows at Lake Tahoe
Guaymas, Mexico several times
Yosemite National Park twice
Meling Ranch, Mexico
Canoeing the Russian River at Healdsburg, California
The National Air Races in Reno, Nevada twice
Lake Havasu, Arizona twice
Canyon De Chelly, Arizona
Three different dude ranches in several different years at Wickenburg, Arizona
Sedona, Arizona twice
Alamos, Mexico
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Gilroy Garlic Festival, California
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Zion Canyon, Utah
Skunk Train, Willits, California
Mammoth, California
Rio Bravo, California
Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Pismo Beach, California
Pima Air Museum and desert park in Tucson, Arizona
Silver City, New Mexico
Monterey, California
Chaco, Canyon, New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Loreto, Mexico
White Mountain, Bishop, California
Canyonlands and Arches National Parks at Moab, Utah
Jet boating on the Rogue River at Gold Beach, Oregon
Capital Reef National Park, Utah
San Jose, California
Chiriaco Summit, California
Columbia, California
Bisbee, Arizona
Hood River, Oregon
Los Alamos, New Mexico
We carried on our flying adventures for years until the aerospace industry in Southern California started to fade and the effects of time forced change in our blissful lives forever. I tried to resurrect this kind of flying activity but even though I had been inspired by the master I did not have Doug's ability to inspire people to do something outside their small sphere of routine life. Doug and I still communicated by e-mail from time to time though we haven't seen each other for many years. I never met anyone like Doug Bowles and I don't expect to in the future. He was unique and I will miss him.
Bob Axsom
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we, the family of Douglas Bowles, inform you of his passing. Doug died on Sunday, November 9, 2008, as the result of a plane crash. Lost with Doug were his grandson Joshua, whom he loved very much, as well as two friends, Dre and David. Our hearts go out to all the families involved.
We are gathering to celebrate Doug's life and share stories on Friday, November 14 at 5:00 p.m. at the
Mile High Airport Cafe at the Hesperia Airport, 7070 Summit Valley Road, Hesperia, 92345. Please join us and pass the information along to any others that knew Doug and might like to attend. In the event you are unable to attend and would like us to share your thoughts or comments, please email us. If there are any questions, please call us at Doug's home (760)947-9350.
Sincerely,
Doug's Family
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 5:23 PM
Subject: Re: Regarding a Memorial Service for Doug Bowles
This day will be burned into my memory for the shock and sadness at the loss of Doug. I cannot attend the Memorial as I am now retired in Arkansas. We met in 1978 after I was transferred from St. Louis to MDAC-West in Huntington Beach. Doug was a Manager in the Division where I was assigned. They had a flying club and although I was not a pilot I joined and learned to fly in the club's Cessna 150s and 172s. After I got my Private Pilot Certificate I rented the club's airplanes and was gradually expanding the locations where Jeanine and I would go on weekends. I had the club's new Piper Archer II scheduled for the weekend of October 30 and 31, 1982 and we were looking forward to a trip somewhere when I received a call from Doug. He said that the club was starting a new "Fly-in" program and all of the aircraft were reserved for the first trip to the Furnace Creek Inn at Death Valley. As you might guess I was not pleased with this disruption in our plans. Doug told me that if I signed up to participate in the fly-in he would assign the Archer (N8304L) to me but I would have to take two passengers and baggage with us. To this point I had been a loner and was not interested but I discussed it with Jeanine and we reluctantly decided to go. It was one of the best decisions of my life. Over 50 people participated in that first fly-in and it started the best series of adventures and friendships I have ever known in my 72 years. With Doug as our leader we started on this spectacular adventure that went to:
Death Valley several times
Riding at the Lazy-K-Bar ranch in Tucson
Skiing at Lake Tahoe
Hotel Serenedad in Mulege, Mexico several times
Rafting on the American River near Placerville, California
Train riding and Chuck Wagon Show at Durango, Colorado twice
Tombstone, Arizona
Casinos and shows at Lake Tahoe
Guaymas, Mexico several times
Yosemite National Park twice
Meling Ranch, Mexico
Canoeing the Russian River at Healdsburg, California
The National Air Races in Reno, Nevada twice
Lake Havasu, Arizona twice
Canyon De Chelly, Arizona
Three different dude ranches in several different years at Wickenburg, Arizona
Sedona, Arizona twice
Alamos, Mexico
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Gilroy Garlic Festival, California
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Zion Canyon, Utah
Skunk Train, Willits, California
Mammoth, California
Rio Bravo, California
Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Pismo Beach, California
Pima Air Museum and desert park in Tucson, Arizona
Silver City, New Mexico
Monterey, California
Chaco, Canyon, New Mexico
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Loreto, Mexico
White Mountain, Bishop, California
Canyonlands and Arches National Parks at Moab, Utah
Jet boating on the Rogue River at Gold Beach, Oregon
Capital Reef National Park, Utah
San Jose, California
Chiriaco Summit, California
Columbia, California
Bisbee, Arizona
Hood River, Oregon
Los Alamos, New Mexico
We carried on our flying adventures for years until the aerospace industry in Southern California started to fade and the effects of time forced change in our blissful lives forever. I tried to resurrect this kind of flying activity but even though I had been inspired by the master I did not have Doug's ability to inspire people to do something outside their small sphere of routine life. Doug and I still communicated by e-mail from time to time though we haven't seen each other for many years. I never met anyone like Doug Bowles and I don't expect to in the future. He was unique and I will miss him.
Bob Axsom