Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
LOOGOOTEE – A former mayor of Loogootee and WestGate Authority board member is being remembered for his love of community, positivity and an energy that defied his years.
Donald Bowling passed away Dec. 27 at Poplar Care Center in Loogootee. He was 97.
Bowling was instrumental in establishing the WestGate@Crane Technology Park and a vocal champion of the Interstate 69 project when opposition far outnumbered proponents.
In 2005, he accompanied an Indiana delegation that included Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman to St. Louis to testify before the Base Realignment and Closure committee to make a case for saving Naval Support Activity Crane.
Dan Gregory, who was friends with Bowling for 25 years, said Bowling recalled years later just how crucial it was that the BRAC committee understood the economic impact of Crane in southwest Indiana and its role in national defense.
Bowling spoke as mayor of Loogootee, but his words came from a deeper place.
“Don had brothers that served in World War II and he felt certain that Crane played a role in their safe return,” Gregory said. “I think whatever he said was heard by the BRAC committee and taken to heart.”
The BRAC hearings became a catalyst that sparked a new vision to bring defense companies to the area around Crane. The WestGate Authority formed in 2006 with leaders from Martin, Daviess and Greene counties; Bowling served as its vice president. The board set out to create a world class tech park on 300 acres near NSWC Crane.
Gregory, who served two years on the WGA with Bowling, said without Bowling, WestGate might not have happened.
“Don was the kind of person they needed to get WestGate off the ground,” he said. “I would go to meetings and I would listen to him talk – he understood the big picture of national security and the jobs that would come with it and the importance of NSA Crane.”
It would take some time to win over the naysayers. It would take Don Bowling.
“Don wasn’t loud, he wasn’t abrasive,” Gregory said. “People gravitate to that because it can be unusual in politics.”
EG&G was the first company to break ground, several other companies followed. Today, WestGate is home to more than 60 companies.
Photos from SAIC’s groundbreaking show Bowling standing shoulder to shoulder with local and state leaders, including Skillman and Gov. Mitch Daniels.
“I have many fond memories of our work together through the years. Mayor Bowling was so earnest in his desire to help his community and our region thrive and grow,” said Skillman. “He was instrumental in the effort to preserve and strengthen Crane during the U.S. Base Realignment and Closure process in 2005, and he contributed to the economic development efforts of Radius Indiana as a valuable board member. Our entire region will feel the loss from his passing.”
Kent Parisien recalled working with Bowling on the WestGate Authority from its inception in 2006 until the Academy was complete in December of 2012.
“He and I both served on the Executive Team for several years. Mayor Bowling was calm in all situations. Every time a decision had to be made, you could count on the Mayor to have a well thought out suggestion,” Parisien said. “The Mayor was the ultimate team player, if his suggestion wasn’t used, he would get behind the decision that was made by the group. Mayor Bowling was well respected by everyone. I looked up to him and valued his opinion.”
Over the years, Parisien said he and Bowling had many conversations about the future of the WestGate@Crane Technology Park.
“I am sure he was pleased with the progress it has made since we started this journey,” Parisien said. “Mayor Bowling made me and everyone around him a better person through his friendship and mentorship. He lived a full life and will be missed by so many.”
Leading Loogootee
Serving as mayor of Loogootee could be described as a second act for Bowling. He was 75 and had retired from a long career at National Gypsum when he ran for mayor, serving two terms.
His obituary noted he led the city during a time of economic uncertainty, global recession and shrinking budgets. He guided Loogootee through the completion of many projects, large and small, from park and sidewalk improvements to projects to alleviate flooding caused by storm water.
A few years ago, Bowling, then 94, became the first guest of “Getting to Know Your Indiana Neighbor,” a YouTube channel that profiles people making a positive impact around Loogootee. Host Greg Bateman sought out Bowling to launch the channel.
“I made sure he was our first guest,” Bateman said. “In my lifetime, he had the most impact of anyone in our community. If he championed a cause, you knew it was the right thing to do. He had all the facts, he was always prepared and was always looking to do the right thing for the community. Outside of my father, Don was the man I respected the most.”
Bowling made time to volunteer. His community affiliations included the Knights of Columbus and serving on the boards of the Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth and Martin County Community Foundation. As a volunteer for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, he visited shut-ins and served as president of the nonprofit’s food bank, trust fund and thrift store.
In 2016, Bowling was honored as a Sagamore of the Wabash, one of the highest awards from the state of Indiana. In 2019, he and his wife Patty were named Citizens of the Year by the Martin County Chamber of Commerce.
Known for his boundless energy, Bowling remained positive and never complained about the limitations of age.
Gregory said, “I’ve never met a finer gentleman.”