"He was terrific. If you had a problem, he'd be at your house right away. He was a very caring and down-to-earth person," Mrs. McCarren said.
She admired Mr. Bowen's sermons and his verbal delivery.
"He could connect to you. When he was giving a sermon, you felt he was talking directly to you," she said. "I thought after he retired, we'd never see him again. But he never dropped us and remained active in our church."
Mr. Bower had served on the hospital ship Hope as a volunteer pastor. He was a member of the founding board of Anne Arundel Community College.
He also had been a guest minister at Shawnee Presbyterian Church in Shawnee-on-the-Delaware, Pa., where he had come to be friends with Fred Waring, the 1920s and 1930s radio and singing star, who developed a resort there.
Mr. Bower, who lived on Phelps Avenue in Glen Burnie for 55 years, continued his interest in flying.
"He kept his pilot's license and was still flying Piper Cubs until five years ago, and had flown ... gliders until 1999," his son said.
Mr. Bower was an avid golfer, scuba diver and world traveler. He also liked playing jazz piano and Irish music.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 4 at his church, 1020 Eastway, Glen Burnie.
Also surviving are his wife of 56 years, the former Marilyn Marie Michael; two other sons, Jonathan K. Bower of Glen Burnie and Robert L. Bower of Shawnee, Pa.; a sister, Elizabeth L. Linsley of Miami; and 11 grandchildren.
