Thomas Oscar Bowden

On March 11, 1945, Thomas Oscar Bowden was born and was promoted to heaven on April 30, 2022.

He got the most of every minute of his 77 years. He has been called Ears, Tom, Judge, Your Honor, Reverend Bowden, Brother Tom, and a few others, but the names he loved most were Dad and Popeye. One of his greatest blessings and joy was being husband to wife of 54 years, Elaine; dad to Stephanie and Brad; and Popeye to his grandchildren.

Tom is survived by wife, Elaine Bowden; daughter, Stephanie Bowden Russell; son, Bradley Thomas Bowden and wife Jennifer of Waco China Spring; grandchildren: Nicole and husband Sawyer Fisher, Tommy Bowden and his special friend Claire, Major Bowden, and Lindsey Bowden; sister, Carol Swindall and husband Cronje of Gatesville, and her family. Tom is also survived by many cousins and family members, friends, acquaintances, and several hundredthousand voters throughout the state of Texas.

Tom was preceded in death by his father, Cecil Bowden; mother, Flora Ann Randolph Bowden; grandparents, Carol and May Bowden and John Herbert and Frances Randolph; and others he loved.

Tom was fortunate to grow up in Cherokee and graduated from Cherokee High School where he received a superior education and was awarded a number of achievement awards including full football scholarship to (now) Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi. Around 20 years and about six schools later, Tom got a BA in history/ government from Howard Payne University and a double Masters, one in political science from West Texas A&M and a Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Theological Seminary.

Tom always considered one of his most outstanding qualities was being a hard worker, whether he got paid anything or not; he loved to work. He did a number of things over the course of his lifetime, and he started young. In addition to working along side his dad, when Tom was about nine, he went into business for himself, growing and selling fishing worms. Tom remembers fondly working summers at Yokum's headquarters with his mentors, Robert and Dickie. He always made a game of jobs, and if people were involved, that was even better. Tom took delight in working on community improvement, economic development, and public service.

Tom served as San Saba County Judge for three terms. During this judicial administration, he won numerous grants for San Saba County with a grant making the courthouse barrier-free to the handicapped. In addition to other improvements, an elevator was added and all bathrooms totally renovated. He also acquired grants to improve the airport, doubling its capacity, highway 16 was improved, and the San Saba-Rough Creek pavement was extended five miles. Tom personally wrote, applied for, and administered these grants himself. These grants saved the tax payers of San Saba great amounts of money. Tom was instrumental in bringing a prison to the county which provided economic advantage for the county.

Tom received several appointments including: Governor Mark White appointed Tom to the Regional Review Board for Community Block Grants. Governor Bill Clements appointed Tom to the same Board. Governor Mark White appointed Tom to the advisory board for Indigent Health Care. Governor Dolph Brisco appointed Tom to the Agricultural Advisory Board. Texas Commissioners of Agriculture, Jim Hightower appointed Tom to another Agricultural Advisory Board. Tom also served as Chair of the Rural Economic Development Committee for the National Association of Regional Councils. (All communities with a population of 300,000 or less were considered rural.) Although Tom was "yellow dog," he was excellent at "reaching across the aisle" which was proven many times including Governor Bill Clements appointing him to committees and going on the campaign trail with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchins and becoming the government relations officer for Texas state treasury.

In 1990, he "threw his hat into the ring" for the state treasurer. Tom was one of six candidates; he carried 160 counties and qualified for the runoff. His opponent carried less counties but led in the four largest cities and out spent him 100 to 1 and had campaigned full time for years. Tom was limited to part time and could announce only six months before the election. He fell short, but it was a great experience. Tom has done something that few others have ever done: he'd been to all 254 counties in the state of Texas. He had been to many counties numerous times and had seen most courthouses. He'd been to all 50 states in the US, and many numerous times, and seen most capitol buildings, and visited several foreign countries. Tom's favorite is San Saba County.

Tom's uncle took him on the campaign trail when he was in grade school which instilled this interest for rest of this life. Tom has either met or known every Texas Governor since Allan Shivers, [including Clayton Williams (oops)], and had special fondness for Preston Smith.

During Tom's 100 months as County Judge, he served as the following: president of the Central Texas Council of Governments, board member of Texas Association of Regional Councils, president of the Hill Country Democrats, president of the West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association, and president of the Texas Forest Service Board (They governed the Rural Firefighters of the state through which Tom worked hard to obtain equipment for upgrading the volunteer fire departments of San Saba County.).

Tom finished his professional career with Family Heritage Life Insurance Company as Texas State Sales Director and a member of the industry's Million-Dollar Roundtable. Tom's later years were filled with much pleasure following his grandchildren's activities and many hours at dialysis which he considered his second family because of their dedicated care.

Tom Bowden loved the Lord, his family and friends, all things Texas, government, football and track, and life full of laughter.

A Memorial Service for Thomas Bowden will be on Sunday, June 5th, at Cherokee Baptist Church. Service will be at 2:00 p.m., and a fellowship will follow.