Nicholas "Nick" Bowen Obituary (2001)

Nicholas James Bowen, the younger of two children of Douglas Lynn Bowen and Sheryl Jean (O'Dell) Bowen, was born at Council Bluffs, Iowa on March 23, 1979. The family lived on a farm east of Malvern and Nick attended Chantry Elementary School through the 3rd grade. Nick was baptized and later confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church near Hastings. The family moved to a farm south of Hastings and Nick attended Nishna Valley High School, graduating in 1997. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Psychology from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri where he was active in the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. Following graduation, he was employed at Applied Underwriters in Omaha, Nebraska as an Assistant Team Leader. Nick's other enjoyments included video games, golf, working on the computer, hunting, fishing, dogs and spending time with friends and family. Nick has always enjoyed music and was learning to play the guitar. He will be remembered for his strong will, constant smile, funny sense of humor and charming personality. Nick loved life and lived every day to the fullest. Nick's life-long battle with Cystic Fibrosis ended on March 21st in Seattle, Washington where he was waiting for a lung transplant. Nick died just two days before his 25th birthday. Organ donation was a priority for Nick and he was able to donate several organs at the time of his death. In his honor, please consider organ donation for yourself and those you love. Nick was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Jack and Virginia (Kahl) Bowen. He is survived by his parents Doug and Sheri Bowen of rural Malvern; sister Julie Urban and her husband Matthew of rural Hastings; maternal grandparents Allen and Jean (Houser) O'Dell; aunts and uncles, cousins, and other relatives and friends.