James  Rae Bowers

Obituary

James Rae Bowers, formerly of Telluride and Grand Junction, Colorado and native of Toledo, Ohio, passed away at age 83 on March 14, 2025 at home in Phoenix, Arizona after an extended illness.

Born on May 10, 1941 to Edwin C. and Frances Rae Bowers, Jim grew up in Rossford, Ohio. He attended Eagle Point School and Maumee Valley Country Day School, graduating from Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT. He went on to Denison University, taking a year off halfway through, and graduated in 1964.
Possessing an adventurous spirit, Jim spent his year off first exploring the United States on his motorcycle and then setting off for Hawaii, Fiji, and eventually New Zealand, where he lived and worked for several months. After college, he went on to serve in the Peace Corps in Tanzania, East Africa for several years, after which he worked for the Outward Bound School in Kenya. On his way back to the States, he continued his traveling adventures across the globe, stopping off in Nepal to consider how far up Mt. Everest he might be able to climb.

He eventually landed in the old mining town of Telluride, Colorado in 1970, where he put down roots for the next three decades. He purchased and worked a 360-acre cattle and alfalfa ranch for several years in the nearby town of Norwood with his soon-to-be wife and eventually became a successful real estate broker in the Telluride area. He married Katherine Sharp in 1974, and they raised their two daughters on the ski slopes of Telluride, both girls becoming Junior Olympic skiers. In 2000, desiring a milder climate and closer proximity to golf courses, Jim and Kathy relocated to Grand Junction, Colorado, where they designed and built a house close to the Colorado Monument and enjoyed many rounds of golf with friends over the years.

Jim was an outstanding athlete and an avid sports fan to the end of his life. He moved directly into varsity football and basketball at the age of 14, playing all the way through his college years. He also played baseball, golf, and tennis from a young age. He was known to take two buses across town to practice at a local golf course as a young boy, and he continued to win golf tournaments into his senior years. He played on the Tanzanian National Rugby team. He climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro 14 times as a guide and made it to Base Camp on Mt. Everest at 17,500 ft. He took up skiing in Telluride and played in a bowling league into retirement.
He championed his daughters’ participation in as many sports besides skiing as they were able to be involved in. He also cultivated other young people’s athletic development as a coach of football and basketball throughout his years. He was known to drive hours across Colorado just to watch a high school basketball game, girls or boys, in the dead of winter.
He was a devoted Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) fan from the age of 4 when his father took him to his first game, and later, a loyal follower of the University of Michigan Wolverines, the University of Toledo Rockets, the Denver Broncos, and eventually the Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Suns. In the latter part of his life, he became an expert at Crossword Puzzles and at playing bridge. He always had a newspaper nearby, enjoying the sports page, Sudoku, and the comics.

Jim thrived on his relationships with people and was a truly beloved friend to so many as well as a loyal and loving family member. He was a gentle soul, notably kind, and protective, always looking out for others. He saved his 3-year-old sister from drowning in a boat slip in a Michigan river when he was only 5. He looked you straight in the eye, and had a wry sense of humor and a way of making every person feel important. He remembered people’s names and had nicknames for all of his close friends. Jim treated everyone as family, always with a ready smile and an encouraging word.

He is survived by his two daughters, Aspin Jane Teevin (Erik) of Seattle, and Jamie Rae Bowers (Mike O’Dell) of Phoenix, and two grandchildren, Sara Teevin and Riggs O’Dell; two sisters, Roberta Bowers of San Francisco and Rebecca Skrainka of St. Louis.
He is predeceased by his wife, Kathy (2016), son, John Benjamin (Benji) (1984), brother, E.C. Bowers, Jr. (Ted/Ed) (2001), and nephew, E.C. Bowers III (Bean) (2011).

A memorial service and following interment will take place in Telluride, CO on June 7, 2025 at the Elks Club at 11:30 AM. More information at online-tribute.com/JamesRaeBowers

Heartfelt appreciation goes out to the many health care professionals who supported Jim in the final chapter of his life.

Tributes in Jim’s memory may be made to St. Jude Research Hospital or to the donor’s charity of choice.

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