Edd Bowers '43 Remembered
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Alumnus and longtime coach Edd Bowers '43 dies in Texas
Memorial: Sun Sept 28; 4 p.m. Herrick Chapel Reception: Following service, Grinnell House Edd Bowers '43, a Grinnell alumnus and former coach, was a Pioneer in every sense of the word. Bowers died Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Grapevine, Texas, at the age of 86. Bowers has divided his time between his homes in Rockport, Texas, and Grinnell. Bowers grew up in Montezuma, Iowa, and entered Grinnell College with the class of '43. He did not graduate until '47, due to intervening World War II service as an officer aboard a minesweeper. As a Pioneer athlete, Bowers earned eight letters, competing in football, basketball, track, golf, and tennis. In his second year, Bowers played on the conference co-champion basketball team that finished 10-2. He also captained the 1942 team that upset Iowa State, 37-30, in the first game played in Darby Gym. After graduating from Grinnell with a degree in economics, Bowers earned a master's degree at the University of Iowa. He served as a high school coach in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, for nine years following his graduation from Grinnell, where he led the football team to an undefeated record. His teams were consistent contenders. Bowers went on to serve as athletic director and football coach at Iowa Wesleyan College for four years before returning to Grinnell in 1960. Upon returning to Grinnell, he quickly improved the Pioneer football program. After a 4-4 season in 1960, the Pioneers tied for the conference championship the next year with a 6-2 record and won the title outright in 1962 with a 7-0-1 mark. Bowers, whose overall Grinnell record is 71-88-2, credited his players. "I had a group of good athletes in those early years, and that makes a coach look good, if you make it fun and have some luck," he said. "Winning those championships was thrilling, but actually I had the most fun developing teams with lesser athletes. There was great satisfaction in seeing average players improve." Bowers also coached baseball, wrestling, and tennis. He enjoyed assisting John Pfitsch in basketball and occasionally filled the top job. With 19 years at the helm of the Pioneer football team, Bowers held the record for the longest tenure as football coach. In 1980, when Bowers stepped down as head coach, Provost Waldo S. Walker said, "Edd has earned an important place in the history of athletics at Grinnell, and the College is grateful to him." Bowers' love of golf — as coach, player, and official — was well known. He coached a championship team in 1973 and several top-division finishers before his second "retirement" in 1992. An intense player himself, Bowers could still shoot in the 70s in his seventh decade. He won the state seniors championship in 1983. Bowers was inducted into the Grinnell College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 in the hall's first year of existence. The Iowa Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame honored him earlier this year with the Distinguished Iowan Award. . He was also elected to the Iowa Wesleyan Hall of Fame. Bowers is best known as a coach, but he was also proud to call himself a teacher. Good coaches, Bowers liked to say, aren't necessarily good athletes. They're good teachers. He told The Grinnell Magazine in 2005 that his background as a teacher was the reason he succeeded as a basketball and football coach. It was his wife, Eleanor Chleboun Bowers '42, who first encouraged him to pursue a teaching career. He taught math and science while she taught social studies. They passed their love of teaching on to their family. Two daughters (Cynthia Bowers Fulton '69 and Deborah Bowers Johnson '72) and a granddaughter are teachers or school administrators. "It's such a worthy profession, and it's often very rewarding," Bowers said. The family also includes a son, Edd W. Bowers Jr. '74 (Wally), who was coached by his father while he was at Grinnell. Bowers said Wally was a great athlete. Furthermore, Bowers also coached his son-in-law, Gary Johnson '71, for four years. Through the last years, Bowers spent much time coaching and teaching his extended family, including six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. When Eleanor passed away in 2000, memorial gifts provided the funding to establish a scholarship in her name. Because of Eleanor's passion for education, Edd and his family wanted the scholarship to go to students who planned to teach—preferably in history. A service will be held at 4 p.m. Sept. 28 in Herrick Chapel, with a reception to follow in Grinnell House. The family requests no flowers; gifts may be made to the Eleanor Chleboun Bowers '42 and Edd W. Bowers '43 and '47 Teaching Scholarship* at Grinnell College. See Memories of Edd to read what students, faculty, and friends have shared, or share your own memories. * Gifts to the scholarship may be sent to Grinnell College, Office of College and Alumni Relations, 733 Broad St., Grinnell IA 50112. (Please indicate the Bowers scholarship in the memo line or on accompanying note.) You may also call 866-850-1846, or make your gift online.
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