Melvin M. Bowers

Melvin ''Shorty'' Bowers was born November 22, 1912 in Redding Mills, six miles south of Joplin, Missouri. He was the son of Fred and Gladys A. Bowers. Melvin moved with his family in a covered wagon at the age of eight to Osage County in Oklahoma. Melvin resided at the Three Sands Lease where his father was a pumper. Later the family moved to the Old 35 lease on Codding Ranch east of Shidler Field. Melvin attended school in Foraker, graduating from Foraker High School in 1931. Melvin's love for ranching and horses began at an early age and continued throughout his life. He often worked on the 3D's Ranch during his teenage years, assisting in branding and herding cattle.

Upon graduation from high school, Melvin began working with his father in the oilfields of Osage County for a couple of years and continued to work cattle at various ranches including the Chapman-Barnard Ranch. In 1932 and 1933, Melvin could often be found picking his guitar and singing at dances in Foraker in the Indian Agency Building. Often they would play until Midnight and then pass the hat for whatever pay they might receive. He also spent a lot of time with Ben Johnson of Pawhuska, loading cattle into stock cars on the trains.

In 1936, Melvin was hired as a cowboy by August Lohman. Additionally, he spent time harvesting the lush grass in the tall grass prairies of Osage County. On June 5, 1942, Melvin was inducted into the service of this country into the United States Army. He served as a Private First Class for nearly three years overseas in Hawaii and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. He received the following decorations and medals for his service: Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. Melvin was honorably discharged on October 12, 1945 and returned to Oklahoma.

Shortly after his return from military service, Melvin moved to Wyoming in 1946, where he worked with his brothers on a seismograph crew. He returned to Oklahoma in 1950 when he leased a ranch and raised quarter horses and cutting stock. He later accepted employment as ranch foreman for the Phillips Ranch near Sand Springs. Melvin also worked for a Porcelain Company in Sand Spring for a short while but didn't like working inside and returned to full time ranching. He later moved to Terlton where he worked cattle and raised quarter horses with his brother, Bernis. Melvin was also an avid rodeo cowboy and was acquainted with several World Champion Calf Ropers including, Louis Brooks, Junior Garrison and Richard Endicott.

Melvin was married to Ola B. Tisher on October 18, 1961 in Pawnee, Oklahoma. Melvin continued to rodeo and raise quarter horses after the couple's marriage but soon accepted employment for Doug Sparks as a pumper. He continued to pump wells until his health required him to retire in 1994.

Melvin was a member of the First Baptist Church in Terlton. He loved to tell stories and especially enjoyed telling western tales about the Chapman Barnard Ranch and his early days in Osage County. He was a lifetime member of the American Quarter Horse Association. Melvin passed away on Sunday, October 7, 2001 at the Pawnee Municipal Hospital at the age of eighty-eight years, ten months and fifteen days. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers,
Bernis, Glen and Loyd ''Buck'' Bowers; and one sister, Namoi Guin.

Melvin is survived by his wife Ola B. Bowers of the home; four children, Curtis ''Sarge'' and Marie Carrington, Coweta, Oklahoma; Elaine Branham, Terlton, Oklahoma; Dallas and Marisol Florer, Terlton, Oklahoma; and Carla and Roy Edwards, Terlton, Oklahoma; 13 Grandchildren, 11 Great-grandchildren, and one sister, Doloris and Vernon Moore, Sand Springs, Oklahoma.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Thursday, October 11, 2001 at the First Baptist Church in Terlton with Rev. Louis Speck officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.

''Visit an online obituary and guestbook for Melvin Bowers at www.chapman-black.com.''