1919 – 2003

LEWISTON – Leon R. “Beanie” Bowie Jr., 84, of New Gloucester, champion moose caller and teller of lies, died Aug. 9, at a Lewiston hospital.

He was born in Durham, June 19, 1919, the son of Leon R. and Almeda Libby Bowie. He was educated at the Parker School in Durham and was a graduate of Edward Little High School, Auburn, in the class of 1938.

During World War II Mr. Bowie was a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air forces and served as an airplane maintenance technician. He was eventually assigned the task of inspecting all kinds of aircraft ranging from the P-38 to the B17. He took pride in his work realizing the seriousness and earnestness of his mission.

After the war, he worked for Pine Tree Tel & Tel for seven years. He left there to start his own excavation business where he soon garnered a reputation for doing a quality job at a fair price.

He also worked for KFC for many years and was currently working as a groundskeeper for a local resident.

“Beanie” loved the simple things in life and he chose to live his life simply as well. The small cabin that he lived in and referred to as “my camp” up until a few years ago did not have electricity or running water. He enjoyed feeding the birds and turkeys and was a devout gardener and outdoorsman.

His passions were fishin’, trappin’, ponderin’,”going up country,” and “tellin’ lies” with family and friends.

He is survived by four sons, Douglas Bowie, Nelson Bowie, Chris Bowie, all of New Gloucester, and Mark Bowie of Casco; two daughters, Jacquelyn Wallace and Leona Bruns, both of Gray; three sisters, Margret Rendall of Falmouth Forside, Louise Sylvester of Auburn, and Dorothy Bowie of Durham; two brothers, Maynard Bowie of Wales and Frank Bowie of Durham; 15 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by three brothers, Alton ‘Eben’ in 1971, Philip in 1957, Louis ‘Luke’ in 1995; and one sister, Alice Taylor in 2002.

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