Mark E. Bowers

On the afternoon of Saturday, August 3, 2024, Mark E. Bowers, age 65,  passed away surrounded by his loved ones at WVU/Grant Memorial Hospital in Petersburg, WV.

Mark was born on September 1, 1958, in Harrisonburg, Virginia and was raised in Petersburg, West Virginia.  He was a 1976 graduate of Petersburg High School, where he was an accomplished athlete, continuing to hold several records for track and field.  He was a 1980 graduate of Fairmont State College, where he ran track and majored in Engineering Technology with a minor in Printing.  Mark was married for 43 years to his high school sweetheart, Deborah Prunty, with whom he had two sons, Thomas and John.  Mark worked for 41 years at R. R. Donnelly as a press technician, but his true passion was maple syrup production. 

Mark was known to friends far and wide as “Mr. Maple”, he could be found promoting the value of West Virginia-produced maple syrup.  With quick wit and a "cheery disposition", he was a natural speaker and never met a stranger he didn’t like.  An avid outdoorsman, he produced maple syrup by hand at his maple camps located in and around Petersburg for 26 years.  In 2013, Mark founded the West Virginia Maple Producers Association, which popularized maple syrup as a West Virginia signature product and which is currently exceeding $5 million in statewide annual sales and continuing to grow due to his efforts. On July 21, 2024, he was inducted into the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame for his role in turning maple syrup into a significant agriculture product in the state.  On Wednesday, July 31st, Mark bottled his last bottle of maple syrup.  Mark was battling an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer ever since receiving a diagnosis on November 24, 2023. 

Mark became interested in genealogy and has done extensive research so he combined his love of genealogy and photography to display copies of family photos from the Smoke Hole area at the Alt Kimble Reunion.  He also helped to co-author a family history book about the Alt Kimble family.

Mark is survived by his wife Deborah Prunty Bowers, son John Prunty Bowers, daughter-in-law Lauren, grandchildren Eva and Bryan, sister Terri Byers, brother-in-law Frank Byers, niece Amy Varney, and nephew Robbie Davis. Mark was preceded in death by his parents, Carl M. Bowers and Beverly Alt Bowers and one son, Thomas Bowers.

Mark will be greatly missed by many, including numerous family members and friends in Harrisonburg and Petersburg. 

Mark’s family will receive friends on Thursday, August 8, 2024, from 1:00 – 8:00 PM at the Schaeffer Funeral Home in Petersburg, WV.

Funeral service will be Friday, August 9, 2024, at 11:00 AM in the chapel of Schaeffer Funeral Home with Pastor Cheryl George officiating.  Interment will follow in the Cherry Hill Cemetery, Upper Tract, WV.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest that memorial donations be made to the West Virginia Maple Producers Association c/o Cathy Hervey, 100 Fernwood Drive, Wellsburg, WV 26070 or Petersburg High School Athletic Scholarship Fund.

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