Walter Bowden

Walter Bowden of Gahanna, Ohio, passed away suddenly on July 28, 2025, at age 81. He was the devoted husband of Gloria Bowden.

Walter and Gloria met while both were working in Washington DC. They had a civil marriage ceremony in Arlington, Virginia, in June of 1967, followed by a religious ceremony in her home country of Venezuela in September of that year.

Walter and Gloria had no children, but instead were worldwide travelers. They visited not only Venezuela where much of Gloria’s family lived, but also many European countries where relatives of each resided.

Walter and Gloria developed a passion for skiing. Switzerland was their favorite destination, but Utah was their most frequent skiing spot. Walter often bragged that Gloria was truly a much better skier than he. Even after Gloria could no longer ski, they continued to venture to resorts where Walter would hit the slopes while Gloria stayed warm by a giant fire at the lodge. Their last ski trip was in December of 2024, with another planned for this coming December.

Walter was always an avid baseball fan. He and his now deceased brother, Johnny, of Florida, attended many sporting events together throughout the years. Walter & Gloria recently enjoyed a lovely beachside vacation in Florida with Johnny’s daughter, Katie.

In their later years, Walter became the sole caregiver for Gloria. He was devoted to providing her care at home, and also planned many excursions. They went to fairs, car shows, movies, parks, and took many, many trips to Dairy Queen.

Even though they had no immediate family, Walter held the idea of Family in high regard. A few years ago, he and Gloria traveled from their home near Columbus to Akron in order to attend Gerry Hauenstein’s Celebration of Life so he could once again see his cousin Henry Hauenstein’s children, Anna, Daniel, and Molly. He spent a long time that afternoon learning about their lives.

Private ceremony and burial will be held at Mount Peace Cemetery.

Services in care of the Billow Funeral Homes and Crematory, 85 N. Miller Road Akron, OH 44333 (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel)