James "Jim" Bowers

James Howard Bowers, 85, of Oro Valley, AZ, was called home to be with the Lord on the afternoon of March 17, 2026 after battling stage four mesothelioma lung cancer.

Jim was born on June 13, 1940, in Junction City, Oregon, to Howard and Katherine Bowers. He graduated from Harrisburg High School and attended both the University of Oregon and Oregon Technical Institute. He married Judy Lee Baumgartner in 1959 and they began farming in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They raised three sons: Kurt, Kent, Kevin. In 1967 the family farm, which included his dad and two brothers, incorporated to form Bowers Distillery, Inc. They did custom mint harvesting. In 1980 they moved the mint farming operation to Pierre, SD, where Bowers Distillery still operates today under the ownership of his son, Kent Bowers. He retired in 2010 and spent his remaining years in Arizona.

He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was a follower of Jesus Christ and expressed his faith by serving as an elder at the Harrisburg Christian Church, co-pastoring a church in Pierre, SD, and teaching Sunday School. He was a visionary. Facing diminishing yields and diseased soil in Oregon, Jim moved the entire operation across the country to the pocket of Pierre, SD and started over from scratch successfully developing the only mint farm in South Dakota. He enjoyed spending time with his wife, kids, and 13 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren. His hobbies included golf, reading mystery and suspense novels, long road trips to connect with family, attending grandchildren’s events, and keeping up with the financial markets and current news events. He was known for making Pop’s bread which he brought to family gatherings. When asked what kind of pie he liked, he said hot and cold.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Judy Bowers; his children— Kurt Bowers, Kent (and Annie) Bowers, Kevin (and Kimber) Bowers; 13 grandchildren—Sylvia (and Ryan) Swartz, Stephanie (and Jared) Dryer, Samantha Bowers, Joel (and Nicole) Bowers, Jared (and Alecia) Bowers, Katherine (and Corey) Moen, Moses (and Nik) Bowers, Isaac (and Marlee) Bowers, Kade (and Mackenzie) Bowers, Kaylee Bowers, Kaleb Bowers, Karissa Bowers, Katelyn Bowers; 22 great grandchildren—Cooper (and Madelyn) Swartz, Camden Swartz, Caiyah Swartz, Daphne Dryer, Charlie Bowers, Lex Bowers, Callen Bowers, Willow Bowers, Gabriel Bowers, Ruby Bowers, Bruce Bowers, Hank Bowers, Evelyn Bowers, Clara Moen, Colette Moen, Kaladin Bowers, Terran Bowers, Ronan Bowers, Amira Hattum, Ellaena Bowers, Judson Bowers, Sandra Bowers; and his brother, Mark (and Marcia) Bowers. He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Katherine Bowers; his brother, Jon Bowers; and his daughter-in-law, Sandra Hoiland Bowers.

A memorial service will be held at 1 pm on Saturday, March 28, at Hope Community Church, 3130 W. Overton Road, Tucson, AZ 85742. The burial will be at the Bowers farm in Harrold, SD on May 9.