John Raymond Bowlsbey

1941 - 2022

John R. Bowlsbey, Jr., 81, died peacefully November 10, 2022, at home. He was born February 17, 1941 in Wilmington, Delaware, the son of the late John Raymond Bowlsbey, Sr. and Adelaide Ford Bowlsbey.

John graduated from Millersville University, Class of 1963. He married the love of his life,

Joyce Madara Bowlsbey, on June 13, 1964, and they celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary this past June. John worked for W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. for 40 years in several capacities and retired as a product specialist in Liquid Filtration.

He was a member of Lafayette Masonic Lodge in Wilmington, Delaware and over the years was involved with the Cecil County School of Technology, the Fair Hill Nature Center, and Camp Puh`tok in the Pines. One of his greatest loves was the time he spent at Camp Puh`tok in Monkton, MD as a young boy. He started as a camper, became a kitchen boy, then a counselor and finally a director. He was also a member of the Medicine Pipe Society where he achieved the rank of Chief. He always said his time spent there helped frame who he was.

The family moved to Cecil County from Delaware in 1978 where John became a gentleman farmer on 27 acres of land. He raised beef cattle but also tried his hand at chickens, sheep, pigs and owned a donkey named Kernal Corn. John had many talents. He was a superior woodworker and the family all agreed that if something broke and John couldn't fix it they had to throw it out.

In addition to his wife, Joyce, John is survived by his two sons, Joseph William Bowlsbey and his wife Ann, and John Matthew Bowlsbey and his wife Gina. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Payton Bowlsbey, Holden Bowlsbey and Donald Linardi, and his brother David Bowlsbey.

John donated his body to The Maryland Anatomy Board and a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Memorial Donations may be made to Camp Puh`tok in the Pines, 17433 Big Falls Rd #1121, Monkton, MD 21111 or The Fair Hill Nature Center, 630 Tawes Dr., Elkton, MD 21921.