Edeltraud Bowen

1928 - 2023

Edeltraud "Cookie" Bowen died in Chatsworth on 10/31. She was 94 years old.

She was born in Flensburg, Germany in 1928 to Franz Ferch and Maria Gundel. Her father was a painter and photographer and her mother was a housewife. They spent most of their lives in Offenbach a/M, just south of the Main river from Frankfurt, Germany. Her parents and sister, Maria Louisa, preceded her in death.

As an athlete she participated in gymnastics and fencing. She learned to sew, knit and crochet, making many clothes for her children and gifts for others. She was an excellent cook. She played piano and accordion and enjoyed ballroom dance.

But her world was destroyed by WWII. At times she lived in the countryside to find food and escape bombing, traveling alone at night. By the end of the war she was a 16 year old girl living in a devastated town where most of the men were gone, wounded, old, or medically exempt from fighting.

She got a job working for the US Army, where she met an American serviceman, James M. Bowen. They married in 1948 and honeymooned in Bavaria. They returned to the states from Germany in 1948, where Mr. Bowen worked construction with his father. He died in 2008.

From 1948 to 1972 she lived in Pontiac. She was very proud of having obtained her US citizenship. While raising 2 children she waited tables at the Dixie Cafe and the New Log Cabin and worked for Sears in Pontiac. She also served as bowling secretary or election judging when she could.

After moving to Florida she started working at a department store, quickly becoming a buyer for two different departments at two different stores. She often had to travel to Charlotte and New York for buying trips. She was offered still more promotions but she chose to retire in the 1990s.

In retirement she made gifts with her craft skills, fished, traveled and worked in her garden. One highlight was a visit to a cousin in Australia. Much of this time was spent with her long time partner, Richard McCallum.

She is survived by her children, Susan Larsen and James Bowen and son-in-law Charles Larsen, all of Chatsworth; three grandchildren; Shelley Paternoster of Fairbury, Lisa (Byron) Musser of Chenoa, and Mike (Jamie) Gibson of Hudson. Mrs. Bowen also leaves behind 10 great-grandchildren; Kristin (Camden) Krenz of Normal; Mitchell (Sarah) Trezise of Hudson, Brendan Dohman, Chatsworth; Bryson Musser, Bloomington; Karli Musser, Chenoa; Sophie Musser, Chenoa; Matthew Paternoster, Fairbury; Corianne, Caitlyn and Cara Gibson, Hudson; and 3 great-great grandchildren, Skye Trezise, Micah Trezise and Olivia Krenz.