Benjamin Frederick Bowlsby
Obituary
Born in Lake City, Iowa to Arthur Carlton Bowlsby and Florence Isabelle (Ulfers), his older brother was James Arthur Bowlsby. Ben and Jim grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, until they joined (individually, a few years apart) the US Marine Corp Band at Treasure Island Naval Base, San Francisco, California. They both played Sousaphone and percussion and Ben was drum major. They followed a family tradition of military musicians – their great grandfather Benjamin Franklin Bowlsby was drum major in the 39th Iowa Volunteers during the Civil War and father Arthur was a music teacher.
Ben graduated from San Jose State College in 1965 with a B.S. in Industrial Management and resided in the San Jose, California area. He owned and operated the very successful Ultra Phase Precision Sheet Metal Corporation for 25 years, located in Santa Clara and later Morgan Hill, retiring in 2002 to Brentwood, California. While living in Morgan Hill, Ben served Gilroy Elks Lodge #1567 in various capacities including Chairman of the Board.
Ben is predeceased by his parents and brother, and survived by his wife of 44 years Shirley "Sam" (Melton), 3 sons from a previous marriage, Jeff, Randy, & Scott, 4 stepchildren (Marci Serrano who passed in '11), Traci Connelly, Viki Fager, & James Melton, 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. He is interred at the National Cemetery, Dixon, California.
Published in Gilroy Dispatch · November 7, 2019