KINGMAN

SOWERS, GARY LEON, 74 of Kingman, passed away on Wednesday, August 8, 2018 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born on February 4, 1944 in Kingman to Ora and Stella Catherine Garrison Sowers. He was the fifth of eight children born to that union. He attended Murdock Grade School and graduated from Kingman High School in 1962. He owned and operated his own filling station at Midway, KS after which he joined the Army National Guard and trained at Fort Leonard Wood, MO and then was based out of the Kansas National Guard, Company L 137 ^th Infantry Regiment, Kingman unit. He worked for Harner's Phillips 66 Station, then Morton's Feed Store, both in Kingman. In 1972 he then went to work for Penalosa Coop at Brown Spur and retired from there in 2007, after 35 years. After he retired from the Coop he worked part time for Neville Welding and the Kingman Library. He served as a board member for the Kingman County Recycle Center and volunteered a lot of his time working at the center. He also volunteered for the Kingman County Carnival.

G ary enjoyed working in his yard, gardening and even digging their own pond and participating in a pond tour. He enjoyed woodworking and reading; antiquing and going to flea markets where he grew his many collections. Gary had a large Pen and Pencil collection as well as a 3 in 1 oil can collection and a long chain holding his key collection. He spent time in a bowling league and as a member of the Jaycees and the Methodist Church at Murdock, KS. In 1966 he met Olinda Shepherd from Pretty Prairie who later became his wife. They were married in Pretty Prairie at the Methodist Church on Friday, March 31, 1967. They were blessed to add 3 children to this union, Eric Leon, Susan Gayle and Travis Wayne.

G ary is survived by his wife of 51 years, Linda; daughter Susan Archer and husband Tom; son Travis Sowers and wife Bethany; and four grandchildren Tristen and Ashlie Sowers and Nicholas and Owen Archer; sisters Wilma Warfield, Wauneta and Vernon Brummer, Leona Harrel; several nieces, nephews, other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Ora and Stella; son Eric Leon Sowers; brothers Wendell, Loren, Darrel and Bob Sowers.

A celebration of Gary's life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 18, 2018 at the First Presbyterian Church, 201 E. D Ave., Kingman, KS with Pastor Mike McGovney officiating. Inurnment will be held in Walnut Hill Cemetery, Kingman.

M emorial donations may be made in Gary's memory to Kingman Carnegie Library, 455 N. Main, Kingman, KS 67068 or to Rivercross Hospice, 251 S. Whittier, Wichita, KS 67207.