Obituary
Nathan F. Bower, passed away unexpectedly on November 27, 2024 at age 73, in College Park, Florida due to heart complications.
Born in Aiken, South Carolina, his family moved to central Florida a few years later.
Nathan was an avid athlete from an early age. He was co-captain of his Edgewater High-school varsity basketball team. He also played tennis and swam most of his life.
He graduated from Florida State University with a BS in International Affairs, was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and was a lifelong FSU fan.
Like his father and both of his grandfathers, he was a horseman-working with Standardbred racehorses in his father’s stable during high school and college summers including caring for several Hambletonian contenders. After college he served as a racing official at California tracks Hollywood Park, Los Alamitos, and Cal-Expo in Sacramento.
Upon retirement, he returned home to Florida, where he created a marvelous nature sanctuary in his yard and lake property, planting over a hundred cypress trees in the water along with other native aquatic plants to provide habitat and food for the wildlife. Limpkins, egrets, herons, gallinules, eagles, ospreys, songbirds, bass, turtles- they all hung out at Nate’s place where they knew they had safe refuge.
Like his mother, Nathan was a kind, gentle charismatic soul with a great sense of humor. He was happiest with his dog by his side.
He was always curious and loved to travel, often with a metal detector. Beside his bed when he passed was the book, “Treasure Hunters”.
Nathan leaves behind by his beloved dog “Tillie”, his sister Nancy and brother-in-law/friend Dan Bowling (Kentucky), countless close friends all over the country and many cousins and extended family.
He was preceded in death by his mother Roberta Harper Bower, his father Ned Freeman Bower, much loved maternal grandparents Robert J. and Edna Calvin Harper, paternal grandparents Captain Harold Bower and Kathryn Marsh Bower, his best friend Joel Lesser and many wonderful aunts and uncles.
Nathan will be honored with a celebration of life in Florida in February 2025. Burial will be in the family plot in Ravenna, Ohio at a later date.
Donations in his memory may be made to Orange Audubon Society ( http://orangeaudubonfl.org/donate/ ) in Orange County, Florida or the Standardbred Retirement Foundation (Adoptahorse.org)
Edgewater HS, Orlando fl. B Ball team 1968