In 1900 R. Eugene Bowers moved his family from Natick, Massachusetts to Sherman Mills and started the Pine State Creamery. Shortly after the family moved to Maine he received his Embalming and Undertaking License from the state of Maine and started the very first Bowers Funeral Home operating it until his death in 1925. His youngest son, Leon, then took over the business. In the early 1930's Leon
joined with Dr. Fayette Spratt and formed the partnership of Bowers and Spratt Funeral Home in Island Falls. In 1945 Rodney, Leon's youngest son, returned from World War II and joined his father in the family business. In March of 1947 the Bowers and Spratt Funeral Home burned to the ground and in July Rodney purchased a new building and bought out Dr. Spratt's ownership. In 1957 Rodney decided to expand his business to Patten and bought the Brown Funeral Home from Dr. Mason Brown. He operated the 3 funeral homes, Sherman Mills, Patten and Island Falls with the help of his wife, Phyllis and their 4 children, William, Christopher, Helen and Tony, as well as many side jobs including running an ambulance service. All 3 of Rodney's son's went into the funeral business. William graduated from Los Angeles School of Embalming in California in 1970 and currently works at Melrose-Abby in Anaheim, California. Christopher graduated from the Funeral Institute of New England in 2004 and is now working for Brookings & Smith Funeral Home in Bangor. Tony graduated from Cypress College in California and bought the family business in 1985, making him the fourth generation. He and his wife, Carmel moved into the Sherman Mills funeral home in 1989 and with the help of his wife and four children, Jacquie, Christa, Antonia and Theordore, successfully ran all three buildings. In 1995 they expanded the business to Houlton and closed the Patten and Sherman facilities in 1996. Bowers Funeral Home currently operates in Houlton and Island Falls and Tony's oldest daughter, Jacquie joined as the secretary for the business in 2002. The rest of his children work part time filling in as needed. For more information please contact us.
