Family brings Magic City to 95-year-old’s birthday

PHOTOS PROVIDED

A younger Donald Bowers, who grew up in Barberton.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA McCUNE | BGNN

Donald Bowers is surrounded by family members and friends who celebrated his 95th birthday with a Barberton-themed birthday party recognizing the North Canton resident’s roots. He even received a special presentation from Barberton Mayor William Judge. 

By CHRISTINA McCUNE
BGNN managing editor

You can take the boy out of Barberton, but you can’t take Barberton out of the boy.

And Donald Bowers’ daughters, Susan Fortner and Cheryl Brian, made sure their father’s hometown was represented at his 95th birthday party earlier this month.

About 40 or 50 people, including loved ones from all over Ohio and as far away as North Carolina – and grandkids from Colorado and Michigan – came to celebrate the man who now lives in Stark County but not too far from the Summit County line.

Each guest was given a purple shirt to wear, the plates for Hopocan Gardens chicken and hot sauce were purple, live music was provided by a duo – Ed Cetrone and Jim Miller, who are no strangers to Barberton – and to top it all off Mayor William Judge made an appearance bearing Barberton memorabilia.

Bowers was a kid during the Great Depression.

“Everybody knew everybody,” he said. “Everybody had a garden.”

He said they would sleep at other kids’ houses and nobody locked their doors and everyone helped each other.

“It was some of the best times because everybody got along,” she said. “It was not unusual to have strawberries for dinner. My Mom would make a meal out of whatever she found.”

Bowers’ sister, Wauneta Richey, 96, of Barberton, reminisced with Bowers about growing up in their household where all three siblings, including their eldest brother, Richard Bowers, who has passed away, played instruments for school beginning in junior high. Don Bowers played cornet and Richey played clarinet.

“All three of us played in band together,” Bowers said.

Bowers was also a Boy Scout and earned his Eagle Scout rank. He was a mason and a past patron of a Barberton chapter, which no longer exists. Their parents focused on education. They all attended college. Their father was a Barberton police officer. Bowers remembers his father taking them camping. He also remembers one Easter morning driving to church in 1935 only to find that fire had destroyed it overnight.

Bowers said his mom didn’t want him to play sports because she was afraid he would get hurt. He did end up wrestling on Barberton’s first wrestling team even though he didn’t weigh very much, he said. During his senior year he grew a foot and he ended up playing basketball for Kent State University where he earned a degree. Bowers said he didn’t think his mom knew that he played basketball for Kent. He also took courses at the University of Akron. He graduated from Barberton in 1948. His sister graduated in 1946. Bowers served in the U.S. Navy. He was senior project engineer for Hoover for 38 years. He and his wife, Carole, who passed away in 2011 had two daughters, Susan Fortner and Cheryl Brian, who pulled off the fantastic celebration at his North Canton residence with the Barberton theme.

When Judge made his presentation June 14 for Bowers’ birthday celebration he said Barberton Police Chief Vince Morber sent his regards. Judge gave Bowers a T-shirt, coffee mug, towel, and other items including information about upcoming festivals and events in the Magic City.

“What’s something Barberton has is a lot of pride, a lot of history and a lot of people who look after each other,” Judge said.

Judge’s father also served as mayor of Barberton and he said likely his father and grandfather would have had a lot to talk to Bowers about reminiscing about their hometown.

When asked what keeps him healthy and active, Bowers said he regularly plays pickleball and he keeps in touch with people including his family.