FAREWELL TO A GREAT MUSTANG FAN.

[BIGHORSE]

FRANCIS RANKIN BOWEN PASSED AWAY

SUNDAY NIGHT, HIS FUNERAL WILL BE

FRIDAY AT 11AM AT H.P.U.M.C.

WE WILL MISS YOU RANKIN BOWEN.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Francis Rankin Bowen

Bowen, FRANCIS RANKIN, born the fifth child and the fourth son to Rev. Clinton E. Bowen and Ollie Ethel Starks in Avery, Texas on August 1, 1913. Passed away on February 20, 2005 in Dallas, Texas. Frances is a retired teacher where he taught at Thomas Jefferson for seventeen years, and attended S.M.U. where he remained a true Mustang follower. He graduated college from T.W.C. in Fort Worth. He was a football official, a member of the Retired Teachers Assn., and member of Highland Park United Methodist Church. He is survived by his son Francis Randolph Bowen, of Weaverville, NC.; daughter Karen Elizabeth Bowen, of Houston, TX; granddaughter Meredith Bowen Lux, of Denver, CO.; three grandsons: Daniel, David, and Mark Bowen, of Raleigh, NC.; two sisters Mrs. T.M. Warren, of Lexington, NC., and Rebecca Bowen Wallace, of Dallas, TX., and numerous nieces and nephews. The Funeral Services are pending. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to V.N.A., Highland Park United Methodist Church or The Mustang Club. Dignity Memorial Sparkman Hillcrest 7405 W. Northwest Hwy. Dallas

[Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans]

So sorry to hear about the passing of Mr. Rankin Bowen.

Rankin was a true loyal SMU Fan and attended all football games until his health began to falter over the last 12 months.

Rankin would sometimes drive thousands of miles to watch his SMU Mustangs play.

Even in his 80's Rankin drove all the way to Annapolis, Maryland to see an SMU/Navy Game back in the 1990's.

Rankin will be sorely missed on those Fall Saturday afternoons at Ford Stadium, but I know Rankin will be cheering for his Ponies from heaven.

God Bless You Rankin Bowen and Rest In Peace.

[ALEX LIFESON]

I lost a very good friend, and SMU lost a great supporter. Rankin as his many friends knew him, was a long time member of the Mustang Club, and was a HUGE fan of the Ponies since he was a young boy. I know this, because he and I were great friends for almost twenty years. He would tell with great recollection and pride, story after story, tales of Mustang players and games through the decades. I had the pleasure of his company on a number of road trips in the eighties and ninties. He would often drive by himself to distant games like UCLA and North Carolina. SMU hasn't had many fans like Rankin Bowen. He was loyal to the Mustangs through thick, and the very thin times as well. We sometimes call a man a "great" when referring to an athlete; but Rankin was a great SMU fan! It won't be the same, without our weekly talks about the Ponies. Rest in peace my friend, I love you and I will miss you.

[MrMustang1965]

I regret that I never had the honor and pleasure of meeting Mr. Bowen. He sounds like he was a 'fan's fan'! I can only hope and pray that he and my father will be cheering the Mustangs on to victory this season from their 'sky box' seats in Heaven! Rest in Peace, Mr. Bowen. You've earned it.

To all the ponyfans who knew Mr. Bowen, I extend my sympathy and condolences.

[Cheesesteak]

With so many members of the SMU community apathetic about our varsity teams it is a pleasure to read about Mr. Bowen’s exceptional interest in SMU athletics.

I never met him, but I can imagine Mr. Bowen driving across America taking Mustang spirit to faraway athletic contests.

To recognize his decades of loyalty I suggest that he be given a tribute in a Ford Stadium gameday program during the 2005 season compliments of the SMU Athletic Department.

[VarsityShop]

re: To recognize his decades of loyalty I suggest that he be given a tribute in a Ford Stadium gameday program during the 2005 season compliments of the SMU Athletic Department

Ya know cheesesteak thats a great idea.

Actually it would be nice if at the beginning of every season they would dedicate just one page in the program to the SMU Fans that have passed on since the start of the previous season.

This would be a nice tribute to the fans that have been a part of the "SMU Family" for so many years. You know it would please those that have departed us to be recognized one last time by the school they have loved and supported.

[Dement-ed]

To all the ponyfans who knew Mr. Bowen, I extend my sympathy and condolences.

I never knew him, either, but he sounds like a great PonyFan and a great man. His family and his many friends in the SMU community are in my thoughts.

[2112]

"When I heard that you were gone,
I felt your shadow cross my heart"

Rest in peace, my old friend.

[2112]

There is a very nice story on Rankin, on page 7b in today's Dallas Morning News.