Jim Bowers of Boulder, Colorado passed away on September 24, 2024, peacefully leaving this world, surrounded by family. Jim was born in Salem, Oregon, June 29, 1936, to Floyd and Alice (Quarnberg) Bowers (Jim said to his children "At least that was what I was told; I don't remember the event!").
Family, friends, and even strangers knew of his dry humor and quick wit; his quips put a smile on many faces.
He was raised, along with his older brother, Eugene, in a family home located on a creek in Salem, spending much time during the summer months swimming, boating and fishing. As he got older, he became very active in the Boy Scouts, working at the regional scout camp for a couple of summers. He reached the rank of Eagle Scout and the Brotherhood level of the Order of the Arrow.
Upon graduation from Salem High School in 1954, he traveled to the East coast where he started his college studies at M.I.T. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Jim had a great love of the outdoors, and in order to determine if he wanted to work his life in the Oregon forests, he took a year off from school in 1956 and worked for both the Oregon State and U.S. Forest Services. He then decided to go back to M.I.T. where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Economics, Civil Engineering and Political Science, continuing on there to earn a Master's Degree in City and Regional Planning. During that same time, he met (on a blind date) and married Judith Wolfe of Salem, Oregon.
The two then headed west in 1961 for a planned short stop-over in Boulder, Colorado before going on to Oregon. They fell in love with Boulder where they adopted three children and added another one, raised the family, had careers, made many friends, and didn't make it back to Oregon to stay. Jim worked as a planner for Arapahoe County, was Planning Director for the City of Boulder and Director of Planning for the University of Colorado. He then established his own planning consulting firm in the early 1970's which served many public and private clients throughout Colorado and Wyoming for over 30 years.
During his time as Planning Director of Boulder he was involved in the early activities leading to the creation of the Boulder Pearl Street mall and was one of the chief formulators of Boulder's open space program. He considered himself very fortunate to have served one term on the Boulder City Council, and at the inception of R TD in 1969, served as one of Boulder County's representatives on the Board for eleven years, serving as a Director and Secretary of the Board.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Gene Bowers, and his son, Timothy Bowers. He is survived by his wife, Judy, of 67 years, his daughter Laura Wellman (Jeff) of Fort Collins, Colorado, his son Dr. David Bowers (Rayelen) of Johnsburg, Illinois, his daughter Melanie Dumas Saprony of Westminster, Colorado, his grandchildren: Zach Wellman of Newport, Oregon, Amanda Wellman Kuntz (Chris) of Harrisburg, South Dakota, Dr. Kathryn Wellman Franklin (Loren) of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, Devin Dumas, Alec Dumas, Abby Saprony of Westminster, Colorado, Lana Bowers, Blake Bowers and Luke Bowers of Johnsburg, Illinois and his great grandchildren - Cour tney Kuntz, Andrew Kunts and Owen Kuntz of Harrisburg, South Dakota, his niece Kathy Bowers and nephew Tom Bowers (Linda and their children Julie and Allison) of Salem, Oregon.
Jim's family brought him great joy and he dearly loved them. He felt blessed with the multitude and the diversity of his family.
Jim was a selfless man and lived by the "Golden Rule"; he tried to teach his family to be kind and thoughtful to others and to be a 'productive member of your society'. Jim enjoyed fishing, reading, traveling, and golf, his family and friends and many wonderful excursions with children and grandchildren. He took great enjoyment from the Colorado and Oregon mountains and the Oregon coast. It was Jim's wish to have a private family service.
Memorial contributions may be made in his name to The Nature Conservancy.