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TERRE HAUTE —
Donald E. Gower, 75, of The Villages, Fla., went to Heaven to be with the Lord at 5:27 p.m. on Friday, June 22, 2012. He was born in Eckert, Colo., Jan. 11, 1937, to Eugene Gower and Faye Short Gower. He was raised in Ukiah, Calif., and graduated from Ukiah High School in 1955. That same year he joined the U.S. Navy.
In 1969 he moved to Terre Haute, Ind., as an employee of the Lockheed Corp. He then joined the Indiana Air National Guard and had a total of 23 years in the military. In 1978 he became an employee of the Eli Lilly and Company and worked there for 15 years before retiring for health reasons.
He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Darla Ramsey Gower; three sons, Donald Gower of San Diego, Steve Sutton (Kathy), of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Stacy Sutton (Gerie) of Paris, Ill., and three daughters, Marie Bonner, Joan Bonner and Shelly (Kenny) Cox of Oxford, Fla.; 12 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Tom.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Oxford, and prior to moving to Florida, he was a member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church in West Terre Haute, a member of the West Terre Haute Masonic Lodge, and Scottish Rite of Terre Haute, and a member of the El Shaddai, and Elohim Emmaus Communities.
There will be a celebration of his life at Emmanuel United Methodist Church on Saturday, June 30, 2012, at 2 p.m. with visitation one hour prior. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Church Building Fund, envelopes will be at the church.
