Daniel Bowen
Daniel Bowen passed from this physical life into the waiting arms of our Lord on Thursday, July 21, 2016 in San Antonio, Texas. Visitation will be from 6pm to 8pm Monday, July 25, at Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 3pm Tuesday, July 26, at Faith Baptist Church of Wichita Falls; burial to follow at Holliday Cemetery.
Daniel was born May 14, 1996 in Wichita Falls, Texas. After second grade at Ben Milam Elementary, his family moved to Holliday, Texas. Daniel loved Holliday schools and was very proud to be an Eagle. He loved to attend Holliday football and baseball games. Daniel graduated from Holliday in 2015.
Daniel's passion for the weather and all things related to it allowed him to meet most of the local meteorologists, but his idol and friend was Skip McBride. Skip presented him with a special award at his graduation. Daniel was also the local MDA ambassador to the Wichita Falls Fire Department. Together with his good friend Corky Scarbrough, he helped the firemen "Fill the Boot" for the last 12 years; collecting record amounts for the MDA. He also proudly led the parade at the MDA muscle walk every year.
Despite a fiercely debilitating disease, Daniel's happy disposition, easy smile, caring attitude, positive outlook, and quick wit drew people to him like a moth to a flame. Complete strangers could quickly become friends after just a few minutes visiting with him. He touched so many lives by setting a great example of how a life should be lived.
Daniel loved all his friends but especially his life-long favorite friend Chandler King. Even after moving from Wichita Falls, to separate towns, they still kept in close contact and shared many long fun filled days playing video games.
He also loved books and would spend countless hours reading some of the most complex data, the dictionary, or encyclopedia. He loved maps and after every trip he made, he would come home and retrace it on Google Maps, memorizing every detail. He was incredibly smart and could recite the smallest details on most any subject.
His other interests and hobbies included video games, music, movies, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Texas Rangers. He loved to travel and go camping with his family. He loved trains and his pet cat, Gabby. Daniel was lucky enough to visit Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida through the "Make a Wish" foundation, and had a great time. He talked of it often. He loved playing baseball with his friends in the Miracle League and looked forward to it every year.
He especially loved his two young nephews; Colten and Ryder, and they loved him in return.
Daniel is survived by his loving parents, Ron and Sandy Bowen, his brother Clinton and wife, Kendra, their sons Colten and Ryder, his grandparents Joe and Anita Bowen, Grandmother Alice Warlick, and many other aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by Grandfather John Warlick.
A special thanks to the Holliday ISD, and all the aids, faculty, and staff that worked with Daniel. You made school fun, and he loved it. Thank you to the WFFD for making him an honorary firefighter. He was proud of that and took it seriously. Also thank you to local pediatrician Terry Johnson and the doctors and nurses at Children's Hospital in Dallas for helping keep Daniel's quality of life manageable.
Daniel lived a huge life in the time that he had. I'm so proud of you my son. Congratulations on a life well lived. Now go run, jump, and fly with the angels.
In lieu of flowers, a GoFundMe account has been set up in Daniel's name.
Source: Hampton Vaughn Funeral Home