Obituary

Richard Hahn Bowers, 84, of Hanover, went home to be with Jesus on Thursday, July 28, 2016 followed soon thereafter by his loving wife, Delores Mae Bixler Bowers, 82, on Monday, August 1, 2016.

Richard and Delores had never dated anyone else and were the loves of each other’s lives when they married 62 years ago, on June 26, 1954. They will be remembered for being loving sweethearts and were always seen holding hands. As wonderful parents and role models, the Bowers’ instilled the values of love and commitment by their actions.

Richard was born on Saturday, March 12, 1932 in Littlestown and was a son of the late Ralph V. and Laura C. Hahn Bowers. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Ralph V. Bowers, Jr. Delores was born on Thursday, June 28, 1934 in Westminster, MD and was a daughter of the late Vernon L. and Dorothy A. Shafer Bixler. She was also preceded in death by two brothers-in-law, William Walker and David Groft. 

Richard was a machinist and tool and dye maker for New Way Packaging and retired in 1997 from Hanover Wire Cloth. He was a member of the Hanover Elks BPOE Lodge # 763, Patmos Lodge #387 F & AM, and the Valley of Harrisburg Scottish Rite. Delores was a proud 1952 graduate of Manchester (MD) High School and was a former employee of R.H. Sheppard Co., Windsor Shoe and Doubleday Co. She retired in 2000 from Auchey’s Greenhouse. Together, they were members of the Jerusalem Lutheran Church and took great pleasure in gardening and canning, freezing and preserving what they harvested from their garden.

The Bowers’ are survived by two sons, Gary R. Bowers and his wife, Kathleen, of Millville, DE, and Brent A. Bowers and his wife, Deb, of McSherrystown; seven grandchildren, Jeremy Luke Bowers and his wife, Angela, Jesse Daniel Bowers and his wife, Kristi, Josie Susannah Bowers, Katya Jean Bowers, Kairisa Mei Bowers, Emmah Lannae Bowers, and Mikenna Tessa-Fai Bowers; and two great-grandchildren, Colby Andrew Bowers and Ryder Jesse Bowers. Richard was also survived by a sister, Ruthanna Phillips of Lancaster; and Delores by two sisters, Phyllis Walker and Joyce Groft, both of Hanover; a brother, Wayne Bixler and his wife, Malessie, of White Hall, AR; and two nieces, Heather Bixler Hull and Kimberly Bixler Farner.