Harry Bowser

{{Short description|American politician (1931–2024)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image =

| name = Harry E. Bowser

| state_house = Pennsylvania

| district = 4th

| term_start = January 2, 1979

| term_end = November 30, 1988

| predecessor = Forest Hopkins

| successor = Tom Scrimenti

| constituency =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|9|13}}

| birth_place = Brookville, Pennsylvania{{cite book|title=The Pennsylvania Manual|author1=Pennsylvania. Dept. of General Services|author2=Pennsylvania. Bureau of Publications|author3=Pennsylvania. Dept. of Property and Supplies|date=1987|volume=108|publisher=Department of General Services|isbn=978-0-8182-0097-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S7UaAQAAMAAJ|accessdate=2015-02-27}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|2|22|1931|9|13}}

| death_place = North East Township, Pennsylvania

| party = Republican

| alma_mater =

| occupation = Politician, barber

| spouse = Carol Lee

| children = 3

| residence =

| religion =

| website =

}}

Harry Eugene Bowser (September 13, 1931 – February 22, 2024) was a barber, grape farmer, and Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1979 to 1988, serving Erie County.{{cite web | last = Cox | first = Harold | title = House Members B | publisher = Wilkes University | work = Wilkes University Election Statistics Project| date = | url =http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/legis/B.html}} He was a Korean War veteran.

Biography

Bowser was born on September 13, 1931 in Brookville, Pennsylvania. He attended Brookville High School and later barber school. From 1949 to 1952, Bowser served in the United States Marine Corps in the Korean War.{{Cite web |title=Harry E. Bowser |url=https://archives.house.state.pa.us/people/member-biography?ID=5706 |access-date=April 28, 2024 |website=PA House of Representatives Archives}}

Upon his return to the United States, Bowser worked as a barber until 1972, when he and his wife Carol bought a 65-acre grape farm.{{Cite web |title=Harry Bowser Obituary |url=https://goerie.com/obituaries/psom0734564 |access-date=April 28, 2024 |website=Erie Times-News |date=24 February 2024 |language=en}}

Bowser's first foray into politics was as a councilor for North East Township in 1969 and in 1978 he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, ultimately serving for four consecutive terms. As a representative, Bowser served as the state house Republican caucus administrator and in the Special Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Food and Cheese Distribution in 1984. He lost reelection in 1988.

Personal life

Bowser married Carol Lee MacTarnaghan in 1955. They had three sons; Timothy, Dennis, and Andrew.

References