Mayor Donald Bowling passed away on December 27, 2025, at the age of 97, at Poplar Care Center in Loogootee.
Don was born in Loogootee, Indiana on July 19th, 1928, the fifth of seven children of Harry and Bridget (Mattingly) Bowling, and the last surviving. His brothers were John William (Ardis) Bowling, Jim (Orvilla) Bowling, Jack Bowling, and Lester Bowling, and his sisters were Margie (Ralph) Sherfick and Dorothy (Bob) Hortie.
Don was a lifelong resident of the Loogootee area. He was a lifelong member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. In 1950, he married Patricia Jean Summers, and together they had four children. Pat passed away in 1972, and in 1986 he married Patricia Ann Wininger, who preceded him in death in 2019, and who had two children of her own.
Don was also preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, his son, Terry Bowling, his son-in-law, Terry Marley, his stepdaughter, Debbie Harmon, his stepson’s wife, Julie Wininger, and several nieces and nephews.
Don is survived by three of his children, Dr. Frank (Mary Sue) Bowling, Christine (Terry) Marley, and Dr. Stacey (Andrea) Bowling, four grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his stepson, Ronnie Wininger, and dozens of nieces, nephews, and step-grandchildren.
After graduating from Loogootee High School in 1947, Don entered the workforce, eventually going to work for Tom Sherfick as a jukebox service technician. In this job Don traveled all over southern Indiana, meeting new people at diners and businesses in dozens of towns, an experience which would prove to be valuable training for the rest of his working life.
In 1955, Don made a big career switch, going to work at the new National Gypsum plant in Shoals. At National, he worked all over the plant, warehouse, and mine, including long and successful stints running the stockroom and serving as the Financial Secretary of the United Cement, Lime, and Gypsum Workers union. In his final years at National Gypsum, Don served as the plant’s Personnel and Safety Supervisor, where he honed his already-sharp skills at dealing with people in sometimes-difficult situations. This turned out to be the longest of Don’s careers, as he worked at National Gypsum for 35 years before temporarily retiring in 1990 at age 62.
Those who knew Don well in those years could have told you that “retirement” was not possible for Don. In the end, all he really did was shift gears. Instead of working at a paying job, he devoted his time and energy to volunteer efforts: serving the Knights of Columbus as Grand Knight, 4th Degree Faithful Navigator, and bingo caller, visiting the sick and elderly as a volunteer for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, where he also served as President of the SVDP food bank, trust fund, and thrift store, among other things.
As Don’s 75th birthday approached in 2003, he did what no normal 75-year-old would do: he decided to run for Mayor of the City of Loogootee. He privately voiced concerns that maybe he was “too old”, but for anyone who saw him on a daily basis, working with the energy of a man half his age, Don’s age was not a concern. He won that election, and was elected to a second term in 2007.
As Loogootee’s Mayor, Don Bowling worked tirelessly for the citizens of Loogootee and the entire region. In a time of great 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. In addition, he was often called upon by the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and Legislators at all levels to serve as the voice of “small town Indiana”. Don would never admit it, but his testimony before the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission played a very large role in keeping the area’s largest employer, NSA Crane, from being closed. He was instrumental in starting and growing the WestGate@Crane Technology Park, which serves as a hub of collaboration between private industry and NSA Crane. Also, Don was a tireless champion of the Interstate 69 project that now links communities from Evansville to Indianapolis, and which promises to bring even more economic opportunities to the region.
On 12/31/2011, Don retired for the second time, at the end of his second term as Loogootee’s Mayor. He always loved his hometown, and was proud, to his dying day, to call Loogootee home.
Even after his second “retirement”, Don continued to be very active. He continued to serve on the WestGate Board of Directors as Vice President for several years, served as President of both the Martin County Alliance for Economic Development and the Martin County Senior Housing Board of Directors, and served on the Board of Directors for Hoosier Uplands Economic Development Corporation well into his nineties.
In 2016, Don was honored as a Sagamore of the Wabash, one of the highest awards the State of Indiana gives. The award, signed by the Governor, was presented to Don by former Lt. Governor Becky Skillman.
In 2019, Don and Patty were honored as the Martin County Chamber of Commerce “Citizens of the Year”, at a ceremony headlined by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb.
Don was also a two-time Loogootee High School “Alumni of the Year” award winner.
Mayor Bowling’s final eight years were dominated by a long fight against cancer, which he used as an opportunity to make many new friends on the Lange-Fuhs Cancer Center staff. Persistent and optimistic to the end, Don will be deeply missed by all who knew him well.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Very Rev. J. Kenneth Walker at 10:00 A.M, Saturday, January 3, 2026 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Loogootee. Burial will follow in St. John Catholic Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Friday, January 2, 2025 from 4:00 P.M until 8:00 P.M at Blake Funeral Home in Loogootee, Indiana, and again on Saturday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:45 A.M. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish to aid Donald in his efforts to make a lasting impact on the community are invited to contribute to the Donald F., Patty A., and Patty J. Bowling fund at the Martin County Community Foundation.
Blake Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Donald Bowling.
