John Bowley

John F. "Jack" Bowley, Sr., 83, of Caswell Avenue, Newport, RI died Saturday, September 26, 2009 at home surrounded by his family. He was the husband of Frances P. (Gizzi) DeLanoy Bowley. Born in Newport, RI on May 5, 1926, he was the son of the late William P. and Catherine "Hale" (Smith) Bowley. Mr. Bowley was a lumber and building materials buyer for J.T. O'Connell Co. for 45 years before retiring. He was also a part-time bartender at McGann's Restaurant and the Narragansett Café for many years. He was a communicant of St. Joseph's Church in Newport. He enjoyed coin collecting and owned many mint sets and books of various coins and proof sets. He graduated from Hazard Memorial School and attended De La Salle Academy. At one time, he was the president of Mumford School P.T.A.. He was also a coach for the Newport National Little League for 8 years, a member of the Newport Salt Water Fishing Club and once won a monthly prize for the largest striped bass. He was an avid golfer and league member at Green Valley Country Club, but better known for his duckpin bowling where he won many highest average awards in local leagues. He also bowled in a league in Warren, RI and the traveling New England League. He bowled in many tournaments along the east coast as far south as Virginia. He qualified twice for the National All-Star Tournament. In 1958, he was ranked 13th in the State of Rhode Island. In 1962, he held the highest league average ever attained locally of 132. He was an executive director of the National Duckpin Bowling Congress of Washington, D.C. and ran tournaments which drew bowlers from all over the east coast. An Army veteran of World War II, he served as a glider trooper in the 17th Airborne Division and partook in the first airborne invasion of Germany. Several days later, he was wounded when his unit was attacking Munster, Germany. He received the Purple Heart and was awarded a citiation on his European Theatre of operation medal, and a battle star on his glider trooper wings for spearheading the invasion of Germany. Other medals included the American Campaign of World War II medal, Army of Occupation Medal, World War II Freedom medal, European World War II with battle stars- good conduct medal, sharp shooter for rifle medal, marksmen medal for B.A.R. carbine and machine gun. After a long stay in the hospital in Naney, France, the war ended and he was transferred to the 82nd Airborne Division where he spent a year of occupation duty in Berlin, Germany. He then returned to Fort Bragg, NC and was discharged. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three sons, Michael Bowley of Newport, RI, Stephen Bowley and his partner, Thomas Riedel of Denver, CO, and John F. Bowley , Jr. and his wife Lori of Newport, RI; three step-children, William H. DeLanoy, Jr. and his wife Mia of Middletown, RI, Paula J. Morris and her husband Philip of Newport, RI, and James C. DeLanoy and his wife Holly of Portsmouth; four granddaughters, Brenda, Ashley and Sarah Morris, all of Newport, RI and Myra DeLanoy of Portsmouth, RI; two brothers-in-law, Ralph J. Gizzi of Portsmouth, RI and James F. Gizzi, Jr. of Newport, RI; and two nieces and two nephews. His funeral will be held Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 8 am from the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9 am in St. Joseph Church, Broadway at Mann Avenue, Newport. Burial will be private. Calling hours will be held Tuesday, September 29, 2009 from 4-8 pm in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Gizzi Family Health Awareness Inc., 36 Hoppin Road, Newport, RI 02840 or to Odyssey Hospice, 2374 Post Road, Suite 206, Warwick, RI 02886.