For the first fourteen years of my life, I lived in a small town in Europe with a population of three thousand people and a rich history dating back to the 14th century. For the past fourteen years, I have called the Town of Aurora home, a place where discoveries never cease.

One of my blog readers, Patrick Francone, and a former Aurora resident, intrigued me to write about John W. Bowser, and I’m glad he did. It’s another fascinating piece of Aurora’s history to discover.

Before we continue, here’s a brief bio about Patrick:

Patrick lived in Aurora for most of his life. He grew up on a small crescent near the water tower north of Wellington West, and later, during high school, moved near the Highland Golf Course. He attended Our Lady of Grace Elementary School and Cardinal Carter High School, graduating in 2006. He now lives in Sudbury, where he works in marketing for mysendoff.com. At night, he is a student at Laurentian University. Patrick has many fond memories of growing up in Aurora and hopes to return one day.

So, first things first, I needed some pictures related to Bowser. Following Patrick’s directions, we were able to locate Bowser’s grave at the cemetery here in Aurora.

It was on that overcast afternoon when we drove by the Aurora Cemetery and found John W. Bowser’s tombstone, marked by a striking ten-foot-high granite miniature of the Empire State Building. Time was of the essence, especially for me these days.

Yes, John W. Bowser (1892-1956), born in Aurora (Whitchurch Township, Ontario, Canada), was the project construction superintendent for the Empire State Building in New York City. For 40 years, this building stood as the tallest in the world until the completion of the World Trade Center’s North Tower in 1972.

After the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001, the Empire State Building regained its title as the tallest building in New York. Unfortunately, there is no plaque or memorial in New York City to honour Bowser’s contribution.

However, he is commemorated on a hill in the Aurora Cemetery, where he was buried in 1956, with his grave marked by the Empire State Building tombstone. Additionally, there is a street named after him—John Bowser Crescent—in Newmarket, Ontario.

Few sources indicate that the $42 million Empire State Building in New York was completed in just 27 months from its initial concept to the final standing structure. In reality, the construction time was much shorter—just a little over 400 days (15 months).

John W. Bowser was born on Wellington Street East, on a small farm with just one cow. At the age of eleven, he left Aurora, only to return later before leaving again to seek work in Winnipeg. He eventually entered the construction industry, where he achieved great success. Managing the construction of the Empire State Building in New York was one of his most notable accomplishments.

Source: Aurora 1945-1965, An Ontario Town at a Time of Great Change by Elizabeth H. Milner, pg 112.

The story of John W. Bowser doesn’t end here, and I will continue my photographic journey to uncover more. Many of the landmarks he helped construct are still standing, ensuring that his legacy will live on. I look forward to sharing more of his story in the future.

But just one more thought…

When Patrick emailed me and inspired me to write about John W. Bowser, I got curious (as always) and looked up his email domain, mysendoff.com. I must say, there are a lot of creative people out there starting interesting online ventures.

So, I began my own curious adventure by checking out the “About” page on Mysendoff.com: “We are an innovative social media site that will help you create and document your own final wishes for your personal funeral sendoff, and it won’t cost you anything except for a few minutes of your time. Since nobody is going to get out of this life alive, anyone and everyone can use mysendoff.com.”

It was one of those moments, like with YouTube, when I found myself deeply immersed in reading pages, blog posts, and looking through photos for hours. The site offers fascinating insights not only about the celebration of life, funerals, and planning, but also about… well, maybe you just want to take a peek for yourself.

Okay, things like that…

“Thomas Edison died at 9 p.m. on Oct. 18th, 1931 in New Jersey. Shortly before passing away, he awoke from a coma and quietly whispered to his wife Mina, who had been keeping a vigil at his bedside:” It is very beautiful over there.” As he exhaled for the final time, his son Cecil captured that breath in a test tube and stoppered it at the request of Henry Ford who had been friends with Edison. Ford never gave any reason for this request although some say he believed that that a person’s soul escaped with the last breath. That breath is still on display at the Henry Ford Museum.”

See I told you I was hooked.

COMMENTS

Shawna Patenaude said: November 17, 2011 at 17:33

“How very interesting! Loved learning about Bowser and can’t wait to read more about Mysendoff.com. Thanks for sharing Anna!”

Colin Firth said: November 17, 2011 at 21:28

“Thanks Anna for sharing mysendoff.com. Patrick is a wonderful ambassador for the people of Aurora and a very important part of our team at mysendoff.com. BTW, I used to live in Aurora in the late 80’s. and have great memories of your community,

Mysendoff.com’s editorial content is about fascinating stories such as Mr. Bowser, but it is also about truly celebrating the lives that we all lived. We are now witnessing the evolution of the funeral industry which is gradually becoming more about “life celebrations” than traditional somber funerals that have been the tradition for decades.

We encourage visitors to register (for free) and share their personal, final wishes for their funeral sendoff with family and friends.

Having your sendoff wishes documented and shared through mysendoff.com is your own way of being involved in the creation of the sendoff for the final passage in your life. Whether through music selections, special instructions or something as simple as letting your family and friends know your preference for the funeral service. It is also a very compassionate act that prevents your family and friends from having to rush to plan your funeral in their time of grief and mourning.

Once again Anna, thanks again for sharing mysendoff.com with your readers. Cheers – Colin Firth”

Anna Lozyk Romeo said: November 18, 2011 at 22:46

“Hi Colin!

Thank you for your comment and for further elaborating on mysendoff.com, you explained it much better than I did. I really like the idea of positive thinking and celebrating life, rather than focusing on somber funerals, and I’m glad to hear that the industry is moving in that direction.

Yes, Patrick was incredibly helpful in providing information about Bowser, but beyond that, the idea he sparked was fantastic. Wow, you’re from Aurora too! I have to tell you, you should definitely visit when you get the chance—it’s a lot different now.

I hope to hear from both of you again in the future!”