Statement of Janice Bowen James, M.D.
Daughter of former Senator John W.E. Bowen
Before the Ohio Senate Transportation, Commerce and Labor Committee
Presented June 24, 2015
Good morning, Chairwoman Manning, Vice Chair Patton, Ranking MemberCafaro and members of the Transportation, Commerce and Labor Committee. Thankyou for allowing me the opportunity to testify in support of Senate Bill 36, which woulddesignate portions of U.S. Route 33 as the John W. E. Bowen Memorial Roadway. The family of former Senator John W. E. Bowen want to express our deep appreciation to Minority Leader Senator Charleta Tavares for the time and energy she devoted over the past two years to introduce Senate Bill 36 to the legislature.
My father was, throughout his life, very active in civic, legal religious and politicalaffairs on a local, state and national basis and had an impact, both directly and indirectlyon the lives of many people, especially in the Columbus, Ohio community. Most of thethings he did I am only aware of from what others have told me about him because hedid not discuss those types of things at home.
He was however, especially proud of his work during his four years in the OhioSenate. He did keep a record of his work and was the prime sponsor or a primeco-sponsorof approximately 32 bills that were inacted into law. Included among thesewere bills to prohibit the cancellation of automobile insurance for the first time in Ohio, toprovide a child daycare subsidy program for the first time in Ohio, a state subsidy topromote housing development for low and moderate income persons, bills to revise andmodernize laws relating to credit unions, to licensed child day care centers, to regulatethe use of land contracts, to protect trade secrets of business groups, to modernize lawsregulating building and loan associations, and civil rights bills.
In addition, I have however, attached to this testimony a two page resume whichhe prepared which outline the highlights of his life and his public service.
Thank you. I will be happy to answer any questions from the committee.
Resume of John W. E. Bowen III
John W.E. Bowen III was born in 1926 in Jackson, Mississippi, to the Reverend John
W.E. Bowen, Jr. and Margaret Davis Bowen. John attended elementary schools in
Cincinnati, Ohio and New Orleans, Louisiana, and graduated from Gilbert Academy
High School, of New Orleans, Louisiana, as Class Valedictorian in June, 1943, and
attended Lincoln University, in Oxford, Pennsylvania, for two years. His college studies
were interrupted in June, 1945, when he was drafted into The United States Army,
where he trained as a combat engineer, a surveyor, and subsequently served as an
information and education specialist. He qualified as a sharpshooter and was to be
deployed to the Pacific Theatre of War for the planned invasion of mainland Japan
where he would be used as a sniper behind enemy lines. When such military plans
were shelved upon the abrupt ending of the war upon the use of the atomic bomb, he
was shipped to Europe in south eastern Germany where he was assigned to the military
police as a special criminal investigator in the Criminal Investigation Division. In
October, 1946, John received an honorable discharge and resumed his academic
studies as a predental student for two years at the University of Southern California.
While attending U.S.C., John was a member of the 1947-48and 1948-49Track and Field Teams. (The 1947-48team was coached by the 1936 and 1948 United States
Olympic Track and Field Coach, and the 1948-49team won the NCAA National
Championship) John also was a member of the University Choir, the University’s Men's
Glee Club (membership by audition only) and its A Capella Chorus (membership by
audition only). John was one of only two non-musicmajors in the A Capella Chorus.
In 1953, he received an L.L.B. from The Ohio State University School of Law.
John began his legal career in the Columbus, Ohio City Attorney's Office where he
served as an Assistant City Attorney, Senior Assistant City Attorney, Chief Counsel of
the Office’s Civil Division, and First Assistant City Attorney. After leaving the office of
the City Attorney, he engaged in the private law practice for over 50 years.
John has been active in the United Methodist Church on a national, regional, and local
basis, having served as a Delegate to the 1968 Quadrennial General Conference (the
"Uniting Conference" in Dallas, Texas that officially created The United Methodist
Church), a member of its 1956-1960Quadrennial Commission on Christian Higher
Education, which dealt with approximately 100 Colleges and Universities, Wesley
Foundations, and six Seminaries, Chairman of the National Quadrennial Commission’s
Subcommittee on Wills and Bequests, a member and Vice Chairman of the Board of
Trustees, Methodist Union of the Columbus, Ohio District, a member of the 1956
Provisional Committee that established Methodist Theological School in Delaware,
Ohio, a member of the Board of Trustees of the newly established seminary, and a
member of the West Ohio United Methodist Conference Board of Pensions.
John was a member of the Ohio Senate, serving in the 107th and 108th General
Assemblies from 1967 through 1970; a Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of
Cincinnati, Ohio from 1972 through 1978 (its jurisdiction was the states of Ohio,
Kentucky and Tennessee), and served as Chairman of its Board of Directors from 1975
through 1977; a member of the Ohio Board of Regents from 1978 through 1982; a
member of the Board of Directors of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce from
1978 through 1983, and served as a Vice Chairman of the Board from 1981 through
1983; and was a Trustee of the Ohio Center Company for Community Urban
Redevelopment from 1983 through 1986.
John was a member of the Management Service Committee of the Ohio-West
VirginiaArea YMCA; a member of the Youth Committee National Board of the YMCA; amember of the Membership Committee of the OhioWest-Virginia Area YMCA; Vice
Chairman of the Board of Management of the East Side Branch YMCA; and a member
of the Board of Management of the Camp Wilson Branch YMCA. John servedconsecutive years as Co-Chairmanof the United Negro College Fund Columbus
Campaign; and was Chairman of the Job Development and Empowerment Committee
of the Columbus Urban League.
John also was a Member of the Boards of Trustees of the Columbus Town Meeting
(and for a number of years was an alternating moderator of the Columbus Town
Meeting television program), Columbus and Franklin County American Red Cross,
Franklin County Mental Health Association, and former member of the Franklin County
Regional Planning Commission.
John is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Life Membership No. 1551,
1974);served as General Chairman of its 1962 General Convention (the National
Convention) in Columbus, Ohio; and as a Lay Member (now known as Western Region
Assistant Vice President) while a student at the University of Southern California).
John was an Alternate Congressional District Delegate from the 15 thU.S. Congressional
District embracing Franklin County, Ohio, to the 1956 Republican National Convention
in San Francisco, California, was selected as one of ten Outstanding Young Men of the
Year, 1956 by the Columbus Area Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the Outstanding
Legislator of the year award in 1970 from the Columbus Life Underwriters Association.
John, as one of 100 graduates, received The Ohio State University Centennial
Achievement Award in 1970, and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree by
Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio in 1971. Additionally, he has received a number
of other citations and awards for his community service and legislative work.
John has served as an adjunct Professor of Law at The Ohio State University College of
Law and is a member of the Delta Theta Phi National Law Fraternity. In addition, he is
a Life Member of The Ohio State University Alumni Association.
John is a member of Pride of the Hilltop Lodge No. 110, Most Worshipful Prince Hall
Grand Lodge of Ohio, F. and A.M.