Wilbur Eugene Mowen, Sr., age 97, a former resident of Merriam, Kansas, and more recently of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away early Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at his home at the Presbyterian Village in Ft. Scott. He was born August 29, 1923, in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the son of Ned W. Mowen and Amanda L. Dawson Mowen. He married Mae Steffler on July 22, 1944, in Monaca, Pennsylvania. Wilbur served for several years with the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean Conflict.
Following his military service, the family moved west and eventually settled in the Kansas City area where Wilbur found employment at the Nazarene Publishing House. Wilbur worked in electronic maintenance and his wife, Mae, served as the receptionist. Wilbur was very mechanically-minded and could fix most anything rather it be at work, church, or for a friend. He was a pilot and used his mechanical ability to restore vintage airplanes. Wilbur was a longtime member of the Shawnee Church of the Nazarene. Music was always an important part of family life. Wilbur enjoyed singing and playing the guitar. He also played bass for the Southwood Samaritans.
Survivors include his wife of seventy-six years, Mae Mowen, of the home in Ft. Scott; three children, Jeanne Lynch (Jim), of Loveland, Colorado, Wilbur E. Mowen, Jr. (Patricia), of Ft. Scott, Kansas and Richard Mowen (Leta), of Shawnee, Kansas; nine grandchildren, Janice, Julie, James, Andrew, Jessica, Brent, Jeff, David and Sally and a host of great and great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving is a sister, Sally Mowen, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by a son, Ned Mowen who died in infancy, and several brothers and sisters.
Graveside services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Monday, November 23rd at the U. S. National Cemetery in Ft. Scott, Kansas. Military honors will be provided by the U. S. Navy. The family will receive friends on Monday attheCheneyWittChapelfrom12:30 until leaving for the cemetery at 1:15 P.M. Memorials are suggested to Integrity Hospice and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook atcheneywitt.com.
