Alva Ellis Bowers, beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle and friend, passed away at his home in Kirksville on December 24, 2013.

He was born on May 11, 1925 in Adair County to John Reuben and Eva Lena Bowers, the last of 10 children. He was educated in various country schools in Adair County and attended Kirksville High School. His first job was delivering donuts for the Palace Bakery. As a young man he went to work at the arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois making machine guns. He then worked at the International Harvester plant in Davenport, Iowa before returning to Kirksville.

He was married to his cherished Ila Mae on August 16, 1946 in Green City, Mo. He then entered the Army and served 11 months with the occupation forces in Japan. Upon his return he bought a truck with money saved while serving in the army and began hauling coal, eventually buying a milk route he ran for several years. While hauling milk he began a construction business, eventually building over 100 houses in the Kirksville area along with four housing additions and the Woodland Village trailer court.

He would get up at 4 in the morning and run his milk route, often on muddy or snowy roads, then begin work at his second job running his construction company, getting home at 6 or 7 in the evening. After a day like this and feeling very tired, his neighbors would often see him playing catch with one of his boys, simply because they asked him to.

He was elected to the Adair County Court in 1970 and served until 1976. During that time the County built a new jail, established the Adair County Ambulance District, and constructed the Twin Pines Nursing Home.

Alva is survived by his four children; Gary Bowers and wife Ruth of Kirksville, Mo., Larry Bowers and wife Wanda of Des Moines, Ia., Craig Bowers and wife Cindy of Greentop, Mo., and Sharon LaRue and husband Jim of Columbia, Mo. Grandchildren Scott and Katie LaRue of Columbia, Tyler Bowers of Columbia, Terra and husband Daniel Razo of Greentop, Mo., Jennifer Western of Minneapolis, Mn., and Justina and husband Alex Musel of Olympia, Wa. Great grandchildren Rodrigo and Sergio Razo, Dylan Musel, Owen Western, and numerous extended family.

He is also survived by his life long best friend and big brother, Leon Bowers of Kirksville.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters; Altie Stout, Opal Moyer, Ester Connely, and Hazel Vail, and four brothers; Ora, Harold, Johnnie, and Willard. His wife and love of his life, Ila Mae, passed away on February 24, 2008 after 62 years of marriage.

Dad loved to watch his boys play baseball at the Old Robinson field. He donated hundreds of hours to the Kirksville Baseball Association. He loved to fish, loved big thanksgiving dinners with his brothers and sisters and their families, loved to visit his brother Leon at his car shop on Saturdays, loved to dream things and then build them, and most of all loved his family. He seemed to always have one or two kids hanging off him.

He was a devoted husband and father, always putting his family first. He was an excellent business man, a man of service to his church, his country, and his community. Most of all he was a man of honesty, integrity, courage, and deep feeling. Always ready to offer a helping hand.

While his passing leaves a large hole in our lives, we are consoled in our gratitude and great good fortune in having a man such as this as a father, grandfather, and friend.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday (January 3, 2014) at Travis-Noe Funeral Home in Kirksville, with Pastor Richard Northcutt presiding. Music selections, “How great thou Art” and “Beyond the Sunset” will be provided by Jolene Sublett who will be accompanied by Dianthe Cable, organist. Interment will follow the service at Maple Hills Cemetery in Kirksville.

Family will received friends on Friday (January 3, 2014) for one hour before service time in the chapel of Travis-Noe Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Milton Armstrong, Jim Murdock, Donnie Gregory, Gary Bowers, Larry Bowers, and Craig Bowers.

Expressions of sympathy in memory of Alva Bowers may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Kirksville. Memorials may be left at or mailed to Travis-Noe Funeral Home, P.O. Box 306, Kirksville, MO 63501.