[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 33 (Thursday, February 26, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E259-E260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA'S BELOVED J. EARLE 
                                 BOWDEN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 26, 2015

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life and 
legacy of one of Pensacola's most influential and beloved citizens, J. 
Earle Bowden. A native and near life-long resident of the Florida 
Panhandle, Mr. Bowden was known throughout the community for his 
decades as a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Pensacola News 
Journal, as well as for his tireless work preserving the local 
historical sites and natural treasures. All of Northwest Florida mourns 
the loss of a true icon.
  J. Earle Bowden was born and raised in the small town of Altha, 
Florida, and after his high school graduation, he studied journalism at

[[Page E260]]

Florida State, where he also wrote for the Florida Flambeau. Following 
his college studies, Mr. Bowden joined the United States Air Force, 
where he served as a military journalist during the Korean War. After 
completing his military service, Mr. Bowden moved back to Northwest 
Florida to raise his family and pursue a career in journalism, and in 
the fall of 1953, propitious circumstances and his considerable talent 
landed Mr. Bowden a position as a writer with the Pensacola News 
Journal.
  First a sports writer and cartoonist for the paper, Mr. Bowden's 
journalistic talent, dedication to the Northwest Florida community, and 
assiduous work ethic saw him rise through the ranks, becoming editor of 
the News Journal's editorial page in 1965 and editor-in-chief of the 
entire paper one year later. It was in his position heading the paper's 
editorial pages that Mr. Bowden began to forge his legacy and cement 
his impact on the greater Pensacola area. We are blessed to have 
perhaps the world's most beautiful beaches located in Northwest 
Florida, and, in 1965, Mr. Bowden began advocating for the creation of 
a national park as a way to preserve this natural beauty. Thanks in 
large part to his efforts, Mr. Bowden's dream was realized just a few 
years later when legislation was signed into law on January 8, 1971 to 
establish the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Today, Gulf Islands 
National Seashore is one of the most visited components of the National 
Park System, and, in recognition of his work, the road linking eastern 
Pensacola Beach to Navarre Beach is named Earle Bowden Way.
  In addition to his successful work preserving the Northwest Florida 
environment, Mr. Bowden was also deeply dedicated and involved with the 
preservation of the many important historical landmarks in Northwest 
Florida. He helped found several important organizations, including the 
Seville Square Historic District and the Historic Pensacola 
Preservation Board. He also served in numerous leadership capacities, 
including as president of West Florida Historic Preservation Inc., 
whose headquarters is named in his honor, president of the Pensacola 
Historical Society, president of the University of West Florida 
Foundation, chairman of the City of Pensacola Architectural Review 
Board, president of the Pensacola Bay Area Coalition on Literacy, and 
general chairman for the Galvez Bicentennial Celebration, amongst many 
others.
  Mr. Bowden was also deeply committed to advancing the field of 
journalism and writing, as evidenced by his long tenure teaching 
journalistic writing at the University of West Florida, which awarded 
him an honorary doctorate in 1985. Mr. Bowden was also a widely 
published author of non-fiction, fiction, and illustration books. Among 
his published writings are the novel ``Look and Tremble,'' his memoir 
``Always the Rivers Flow,'' a pictorial history ``Pensacola: Florida's 
First Place City'', and the non-fiction book ``Gulf Islands: The Sands 
of All, Preserving America's Largest National Seashore.'' He also 
contributed writing, editing, and illustration to several books on 
Pensacola history including: ``Florida in the Civil War: 1860 through 
Reconstruction''; ``Siege! Spain and Britain: Battle of Pensacola''; 
``Iron Horse in the Pinelands: Building West Florida's Railroad 1881-
1883''; and ``Guardians on the Gulf and Pensacola: Spaniards to Space 
Age.''
  In recognition of Mr. Bowden's incalculable contributions to 
Northwest Florida, he has received dozens of awards from a wide range 
of organizations including: the Florida Trust for Historic 
Preservation's Florida Preservationist of the Year; two national awards 
for editorial writing from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge; the 
Pensacola Kiwanis Club Civic Award; the BIP Awards' Professional Leader 
of the Year; Pensacola Junior College's Distinguished Citizen of the 
Year; the Law Day Liberty Bell Award; the PACE Pioneer Award; FSU 
Distinguished Alumnus; and three statewide awards from Florida 
Architects for his work in historic preservation.
  Mr. Speaker, throughout his long and distinguished life, J. Earle 
Bowden worked tirelessly on behalf of the Northwest Florida community 
that he loved. Although he was a man of letters, his impact on our 
community cannot be fully captured in words, and his legacy will 
forever live on in the many historical sites and natural resources that 
he worked so judiciously to protect. On behalf of the United States 
Congress, I am proud to recognize the life and lasting legacy of J. 
Earle Bowden. My wife Vicki and I extend our deepest prayers and 
condolences to his wife Mary Louise Bowden; sons, Steven Earle Bowden 
(wife, Pamela House) and Randall Clark Bowden; granddaughter, Jessica 
Johanna Bowden; brother, Franklin Lamar Bowden; nephews, Franklin Lamar 
Bowden, Jr. and James Marlon Bowden; and the entire Bowden family.

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