Donald Oliver "Donny" Bowman^[1]

1922 - 1937  (14 years)

• Name	Donald Oliver "Donny" Bowman
  Born	27 Jul 1922	, Saskatchewan, Canada   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140664546
  Residence	1929	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Misfortune	1937  [2]
  	struck by lightning
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-217549
  Died	5 Jul 1937	Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Buried	Greenwood Cemetery, Ridgetown, Kent Co., Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Person ID	I217549	Generations
  Last Modified	28 Jan 2025

  
  

  Father	Thomas George Bowman,   b. 26 Mar 1888, Caledonia, Haldimand Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 17 Feb 1951, St. Thomas, Elgin Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 62 years)
  Mother	Olive Pearl Meredith,   b. 14 Jul 1894, Ermotts, Kent Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 15 Jun 1933, Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 38 years)
  Family ID	F45357	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Elmira Boy Killed by Lightning Bolt Five Other Lads Suffer Severely from Shock. - Took Shelter Under Tree. ELMIRA, July 6. - Five Elmira boys are recovering from the effects of a lightning bolt which severely hurned them and killed their companion. Donald Bowman, aged 14, on Monday during the severe electrical storm. The six boys had been swimming when the storm arose and they sought shelter under a lofty poplar tree. The bolt of lightning hurled the six boys to the ground. When five of the boys had recovered sufficiently to gain their feet they found the Bowman boy dead. The five boys with Bowman were Peter Hadenko 11, Billy Hadenko 7, Andrew Hadenko 10. John Schwetzer 9 and Nicholas Gabel 13. The remaining boys described the happening as "It was so funny, we saw what looked like a ball of fire, and it hit Donny." A neighbor, who also saw the scene, said he saw fire dancing a foot above the surface of the creek dam. The hero of the tragedy was 13-year-old "Nicky" Gabel, who was the first to gain his feet and carry two of his companions to a nearby home of Mrs. Gerger. There will be no inquest. The victim was the fourth oldest child in a family of eight. He is survived by his father, Thomas Bowman, three brothers, Gordon. Bob and Ralph and four sisters, Marie, Beatrice. Margaret and Evelyn. Waterloo Chronicle, 9 Jul 1937, p. 1

  
  

• Sources

  [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140664546. [S116] Vit - ON - Death Registration. Donald Bowman, b. 15 Jul 1922 Saskatchewan, d. 5 Jul 1937 Elmira, s/o Thomas Bowman b. Ridgetown and Olive Meridith b. Kent County. buried Ridgetown. cause: struck by lightning

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 27 Jul 1922 - , Saskatchewan, Canada Residence - 1929 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 5 Jul 1937 - Elmira, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth