A Tribute: Lee Bowden, Iowa’s Aviator
On March 1, 2015, the Iowa aviation community lost one of its strongest and most vocal supporters in Lee Bowden of Independence, Iowa.
Lee was one of those pilots that embodied everything the general aviation community needs. He was resolute in his support for all-things aviation and his local airport. He introduced countless adults and children to aviation via rides, airport tours and more. Heck, he introduced me to tailwheel flying in the early days of my training and I’ve never looked back.
Ultimately, his biggest contribution to my life was the way he showed how to convert the love for a single object (his Taylorcraft) into a positive for the world around him. From his own adventures and “missions”, to giving Young Eagle rides to children, to helping the elderly fulfill a life-long desire to fly in an airplane, Lee and the Taylorcraft gave back to the world nearly daily.
Lee also appreciated the finer details of life. He almost always had a notebook handy for notetaking and loved to ask just how much runway you used on your last landing. It’s easy to overlook some of those questions and ask, “Really?”, but this was Lee’s passion for aviation (and his friends) shining through. He really wanted to know (and document it!).
Personally, I’ll never forget his flying reports via email. They often included details about the flight (time, weather details, airport details and more!) and a full list of everyone that was involved with their home cities listed. I’ll certainly miss those reports.
More than anything, though, Lee has inspired me to use my airplane not only for my missions, but to share aviation at every opportunity and appreciate the experiences the airplane creates. I think the general aviation community could learn a lot from the effort Lee put forth.
No worries, Lee. Aviation is in good hands because of your example.
