Clayton "Randy" Bowman
March 17, 1940 - January 19, 2016
He Will Be Greatly Missed
Clayton"Randy" Bowman passed away peacefully from an aneurysm and complications from diabetes on January 19, 2016 at Providence Hospital in Everett, Washington, with his partner L.C. Stidham at his side.
Randy was born in Bremerton, Washington on March 17, 1940 to Clayton M. and Marie K. Bowman. He is survived by his partner of many years, L.C. Stidham, his sister, Beverlee B. Price, of Edmonds, WA, his nieces, Terre (Jan) Skelly of Bremerton, WA and Tami Freeman of Kingston, WA, and his great nephews, Justin C. Serry and Dane P. Allen, his little three legged dog, Lucky, and many chickens, cows and a horse, who were his pets, not farm animals.
Randy joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from South Kitsap High School in 1958. He was in Cuba and Guantanamo Bay during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was a surgical technician at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. After getting out of the Navy Randy went to work for the Virginia Mason Hospital as a prefusionist, operating the heart/lung machine used during open heart surgery. He worked under Dr. Sauvage who pioneered open heart surgery without the need for a blood transfusion.
Randy eventually gave in to his passion for beautiful old things. He opened The Brass Cage, an antique shop, in the Wallingford District in Seattle. He traveled to Montana, Idaho and Oregon to buy treasures to sell in the antique store. He also started investing in real estate and renovating houses and apartment buildings in Seattle including the Lismore Apartments on Capitol Hill. He then purchased his beloved farm in Arlington, which is where he lived with his partner, L.C. Stidham, for more than twenty years until his death.
Randy loved most things that had been around for a long time. One of his most favorite was old cars and old trucks. He built a garage to house them out of the weather and where L.C. could work on bring them back to life. He accumulated a wonderful collection of antique cars, including a 1937 LaSalle which was one of his very special cars.
Randy's devotion to animals began young. He was always rescuing animals and had all sorts of critters roaming the yard. All his life Randy rescued animals. However, his Mother's patience wore thin when the rooster attacked her granddaughter and his niece, Terre. His father quickly dispatched George the rooster and his mother made chicken soup, which Randy refused to eat.
Randy was driving on the freeway when he noticed a crow in the median. It had one wing drooped at an odd angle. Randy turned around and drove back. He could see the crow's wing was broken, so he wrapped her in a towel and took her to a wild bird clinic. On the drive to the wild bird clinic he shared his sandwich with her and dubbed her Crowella. Her wing was splinted and in a few weeks it was mended. The vet said the crow wouldn't make it in the real crow world and suggested he take her to the garbage dump where she could make a living, which he did. From that time forward, every crow became Crowella. Randy always believed that Crowella had a good life.
Randy rescued two baby raccoons, whose mother had been killed. They were named Mini and Maxi. Randy raised them in his home until they became too rambunctious and destructive to live in the house and gave them to a friend who rescued wild animals.
Randy will be remembered for his silly sense of humor, generosity, his kind and caring heart, and as a loving brother, uncle, friend and neighbor. He will be greatly missed.
FUNERAL INFORMATION
A Celebration of Life and potluck will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2016 from Noon to 3 p.m. at the Arlington Heights Community Club, 12221 228th Street S.E., Arlington, WA. Please bring a dish to share and your beverage of choice. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Kitsap County Humane Society or the animal rescue group of your choice. Arrangements are entrusted to A Sacred Moment Funeral Home in Everett, Washington.