William W. Vowell
November 28, 1928 - April 28, 2003

William Vowell WALCOTT, Iowa #45;- William W. Vowell, 74, Walcott, died Monday, April 28, 2003, at his home. Graveside services are 11 a.m. Friday at National Cemetery, Rock Island, Ill. Due to security on the Arsenal Island, anyone wishing to attend the graveside services should meet at 10 a.m. at the Vowell home at 116 Century St., Walcott. The Rev. Dennis Burton will officiate. The Bentley Funeral Home, Durant, is handling the arrangements. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society. Mr. Vowell was born on Nov. 28, 1928, in Rush Springs, Okla., the son of Robert and Celesta Curtis Vowell. He was raised by his mother and stepfather Gordon Tedder. He married Sarah K. Boshell on July 22, 1971, in Galesburg, Ill. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He was employed as a mechanical engineer at Alcoa, retiring in 1991. He was one of 100 people involved in the development of materials for Apollo 11. He assisted in the development of the monster coal mining shovel in Marion, Ohio and AMTRAK train for Westinghouse in Pittsburg, Pa. He was a 32nd degree mason with the Davenport Masonic Lodge. He was a former member of the Walcott American Legion and the Davenport Moose Lodge. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Deborah Warren and her husband, Randy, of Norman, Okla., Karen Vowell of Columbus, Ohio, Katrina Masakowski and her husband, Mark, of Davenport; two sons, Gordon Vowell and his wife, Deborah, of Shawnee, Okla. and Staff Sgt. Wheeler 'Allen' Vowell and his wife, Kris, of Mons, Belgium; two stepdaughters, Ramona Littell and her husband, Bob, of Cardington, Ohio and Linda LeBlanc of Marengo, Ohio; and three adopted children, Pam Hogstad and her husband, Tony, of Duncan, Okla., Beverly Cass and Barbara Stillwell and her husband, Jeff, all of Oklahoma City; a sister, Joyce Knapp and her husband, Gene, of Austin, Texas; a brother, Donnie Tedder and his wife, Elizabeth, of Duncan, Okla.; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a special niece, Sandra Boshell Scott of Sulligent, Ala.; and a special nephew, Richard Boshell of Bettendorf. He was preceded in death by his father; his mother; his stepfather; a stepson, Larry Blunk; and a brother, Robert Vowell.

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