Emil Bowden

Emil Jay Bowden passed away Oct. 3,2012 in the Salt Lake Regional Hospital.

He was the fifth of 11 children born to Walter Warren and Mary (Mae) Agnes Schanno Bowden on May 3, 1924 in Vernal, Utah.

Jay grew up in the Maeser and Dry Fork areas of Vernal, Utah and learned the value of hard work on the farm. He served in the Navy during World War II aboard the USS Clermont, an attack troop transport ship in the Pacific.

After the war he returned home to Vernal and met Vicena Bancroft of Duchesne.

Having received his pilot's license he flew an Aeronca single engine airplane to Duchesne to court Vicena. They were married Aug. 27, 1948 in Duchesne and after Vicena's death they were sealed Nov. 3,2010 in the Vernal, Utah Temple.

They had three sons, of which the youngest died a few hours after birth.

Jay worked as derrick hand and field hand in the oil field early in their marriage. Later he worked for Uintah County. During most of his career he was a carpenter. After he started having heart problems he retired from carpentry and became the caretaker for the Maeser and Rock Point cemeteries and later worked at the Vernal cemetery.

He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held various callings and was a greeter in his ward and a faithful home teacher at the time of his death.

He enjoyed fishing, camping, gardening and family reunions. His home and especially the back yard was a gathering place for all his family. Everyone wanted to go to grandpas for a barbecue and get-together. His family was the center of his life.

He will be missed and is survived by his two oldest sons, William Jay (Bill) and wife Pamela, and Richard Lynn (Dick) and wife Donna; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren and was looking forward to the birth of his first great-great-grandchild in February. He is also survived by one brother, Francis and three sisters, Emma Wilson, June Fisher and Clara Arnold.

He is preceded in death by his parents Walter Warren and Mary (Mae) Agnes Schanno Bowden; wife Vicena Bancroft Bowden; son Blaine; brothers Claude, Walter, and Donald Bowden and sisters Lola Stoner, Mary Slaugh and Dorothy Rowan.