Jerry Bowers Obituary

Jerry Joe Bowers, a former resident of Durango, died Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, in Albuquerque. The cause of death was pulmonary fibrosis and lobar pneumonia. He was 72.

At birth on July 22, 1941, in Denver, Mr. Bowers was named Jerome Jake Pascal. He was adopted by Raymond and Ruby Bowers.

Mr. Bowers spent his formative years in Bayfield where he graduated high school. He played football and basketball there.

Mr. Bowers held a number of jobs, as a wage earner and as an entrepreneur. Among his employers were the Magna Copper Mines in San Manuel, Ariz., and the Colorado Department of Transportation. As a CDOT employee, he worked in Silverton and on Wolf Creek Pass.

In Durango, Mr. Bowers worked as surveyor and real estate salesman. He studied for a time at Fort Lewis College.

Mr. Bowers lived in Durango from 1963 to 68 and from 1972 to 74. He lived in Bayfield from 1941 to 1963.

Mr. Bowers married Jo Ann Allen in Bayfield in 1963. Later, the couple, along with their sons, owned and operated the Sunset Motel in Clayton, N.M., and the Western Motel and Restaurant in Deming, N.M. While in Deming, he was on the Tourist Development Committee.

Fly-fishing was a passion. Mr. Bowers was particularly fond of Royal Coachmen and Grey Hackles. He enjoyed the outdoors and animals and played the accordion on live radio in the 1950s.

Mr. Bowers is survived by his wife of 50 years, Jo Ann Bowers of Cedar Hill, N.M.; sons Dean Bowers of Cedar Hill, and Jim Bowers of Temple, Texas; brother Mike Bowers of Cortez; and two granddaughters and a grandson.

No services are planned. Instead, donations to the American Lung Association or St. Jude's Children's Hospital are requested.



This story has been updated to reflect the official cause of death.