My father was one of five boys. Sadly, the youngest son was killed in a saw-milling accident when he was 15 years. All the sons have now passed away, my father being the longest survivor.
My parents were married in Hastings, New Zealand on the 27 March 1940. My mother was a very fast walker. On their wedding day my father said that he had to meet my mother because he could never have caught her! My father was born in
Dannevirke, New Zealand on the 23 March 1916 and passed away on the 29 December 2007. My mother was born in Hastings, New Zealand on the 4 January 1916 and passed away 28 January 1999.
The Bowen brothers with their parents and wives.
My parents, Ivan Verdun and Joyce Kathleen Bowen with my grandparents, Walter Eugene and Catherine Rudman Bowen (although my Nana was called Kate by everone). My Granddad passed away on 11 July 1956 and 73 years and my Nana passed away on 20 March 1953 at 64 years.
Our family together at my 21st birthday many years ago! I wore a royal blue velvet dress. I shared my 21st birthday party with a dear friend,
Lauris Newton, who wore a red velvet dress of the same pattern. Lauris later became
Lauris Lee. and was also my bridesmaid at my wedding. We had over 300 guests. Down in New Zealand the 21st birthday party is the big party of your life where you are given the key to the door of the home! It is actually a symbolic key, many times made of wood, so everyone at the party can sign it.
We grew up in the little town of Te Puke, New Zealand, but after we were married for some time my parents moved to
Rotorua where Dad became the entertainer at the
Agrodome, the big sheep tourist show in New Zealand. Here are my parents at their 3-level
Logwood home looking over Lake
Rotorua. It was a beautiful home and we missed it when they built a one-level home in
Ngongotaha which was easier for my mother to care for.
My father was one of five boys. Sadly, the youngest son was killed in a saw-milling accident when he was 15 years. All the sons have now passed away, my father being the longest survivor.
My parents were married in Hastings, New Zealand on the 27 March 1940. My mother was a very fast walker. On their wedding day my father said that he had to meet my mother because he could never have caught her! My father was born in Dannevirke, New Zealand on the 23 March 1916 and passed away on the 29 December 2007. My mother was born in Hastings, New Zealand on the 4 January 1916 and passed away 28 January 1999.
The Bowen brothers with their parents and wives.
My parents, Ivan Verdun and Joyce Kathleen Bowen with my grandparents, Walter Eugene and Catherine Rudman Bowen (although my Nana was called Kate by everone). My Granddad passed away on 11 July 1956 and 73 years and my Nana passed away on 20 March 1953 at 64 years.
Our family together at my 21st birthday many years ago! I wore a royal blue velvet dress. I shared my 21st birthday party with a dear friend, Lauris Newton, who wore a red velvet dress of the same pattern. Lauris later became Lauris Lee. and was also my bridesmaid at my wedding. We had over 300 guests. Down in New Zealand the 21st birthday party is the big party of your life where you are given the key to the door of the home! It is actually a symbolic key, many times made of wood, so everyone at the party can sign it.
We grew up in the little town of Te Puke, New Zealand, but after we were married for some time my parents moved to Rotorua where Dad became the entertainer at the Agrodome, the big sheep tourist show in New Zealand. Here are my parents at their 3-level Logwood home looking over Lake Rotorua. It was a beautiful home and we missed it when they built a one-level home in Ngongotaha which was easier for my mother to care for.
