Walter Bower

Walter V. Bower, 91, of Kerrville, went to be with the Lord on Monday, March 17, 2003 in a local care center. A well known and well loved local artist, he is known for his many Christian paintings, especially the pastel portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ. His western themed paintings can also be seen in many area homes and businesses. His watercolors reflect the beauty of the entire Hill Country of Texas, his adopted home.He was born April 30, 1911 in Springfield, IL to Horace and Montie Wheeler Bower. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago for four years and served in the U.S. Navy for four years following Pearl Harbor. He married Evelyn Griffis, who preceded him in death in 2001. They were married for 63 years. After working 31 years as Art Director of International Harvester Co., Chicago, IL, he retired and he and his wife moved to Texas. They chose the Hill Country as their new home, where they resided from 1969 to the present, first in Comfort and then in Kerrville. As his paintings reflect, he fell in love with Western culture and used the Western theme in many of his paintings. He worked locally as a docent at the Cowboy Artists Museum. He had a gallery in Comfort for several years and taught art classes. He was a member of the Kerrville Art Club, Comfort Art Guild, River Art Group, San Antonio Watercolor Group, and Hill Country Arts Foundation. His art has won Best in Show several times in the past. He felt especially gratified doing Chalk Talks, always with a Christian message. He especially enjoyed drawing for the boys camp at Camp Stewart, in Hunt, TX. His works will live on, and continue to influence and touch lives. His sense of humor and his charitable generosity to all he met will be long remembered.He was a devoted and active member of the Church of the Hills, Ingram.Preceded in death by his parents, his wife and brother Virgil, he is survived by his daughter Nancy, SonInLaw John Hess, Three granddaughters: Monica Brad Beckworth, Marlene Douglas McCandless, Tricia James Neat, and four greatgrandchildren: James Warren Neat II, John Walter Neat, Mark Thomas Beckworth and Rebecca Breanne McCandless, and numerous cousins.Services will be held at the Kerrville Funeral Home Chapel at 10:00 AM on Friday, March 21, 2003 with Interment following at the Hondo Cemetery in Hondo, Texas. Family visitation will be from 5:00 7:00 PM, Thursday, March 20, 2003 at Kerrville Funeral Home.Services are under the direction of Kerrville Funeral Home, Kerrville, Texas.

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