John Bowers, a biker who loved kids

JOHN T. "Maverick" Bowers, a member of the Pagan Outlaw Motorcycle Club who was devoted to sick children, will have a viewing tonight at Anton Urban Funeral Home in Ambler.

Bowers, 60, of Oreland, Montgomery County, was riding side-by-side with another Pagan on their Harley Davidsons past the the Blackhorse Tavern near Norristown Friday night when they collided with a car. Bowers' fellow cyclist and the other motorist remain hospitalized, police said.

Dozens of Pagan bikers are expected from California, Florida and other states to attend the funeral services.

Bowers, a member of the Pagan's Montgomery County chapter for more than 30 years, was "widely respected" in biker circles for his charitable work with children, according to his son, Matthew Bowers, 30, also a biker.

He was affiliated with Bikers against Child Abuse, helped to organize Toys for Tots motorcycle runs in Montgomery County and held numerous 50-50 fundraisers, especially for children with cancer.

"Every year, he'd let his hair grow long, then he'd cut it and take it over to 'Locks of Love.' They'd make wigs for children who had cancer," said his son.

"Everyone he knew would do the same thing," he added. "The last time he did it was in June."

Matthew Bowers described his father as "very warm and friendly who touched a lot of people."

Photos of him with his wife, Cynthia, are posted on patriotsmcpa. com, a Web site for a motorcycle club in Lansdale, where viewers can post comments for his memorial.

Born in Philadelphia, Bowers was raised in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, where he graduated from Springfield High School in 1965.

Two years later, he married the former Cynthia Campbell, also a motorcycle enthusiast. Bowers had been riding motorcycles since he was 17 and didn't own a car.

But when the couple began to raise a family of five children, they bought a house in Oreland, and dropped out of biker activities.

Matthew said that as a 5-year-old he was stricken with Guillain-Barre syndrome, in which the body's immune system attacks the neuromuscular system causing paralysis. Doctors warned that he may never walk again.

At Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for 15 months, Matthew said, his father never left his side. He quit his job and stayed in a bed next to him.

"He never flinched an eye. He was a strong-minded guy, a tough guy," he said. "I was supposed to die."

With medical treatment, eventually, the infection wore off, said Matthew, and he entered physical therapy to learn to walk again.

After the near-death scare of his son, Bowers began his charitable activities.

"He just had a thing for kids. He really feels for these people. He's always the first one there, and he brought a lot of people with him.

"This had nothing to do with who he was riding with," said Matthew. "They just respected him."

Bowers spent his career as a truck driver for construction companies, most recently for Danella Construction Corp. for nearly 10 years. Bowers also owned J.T. Embroidery, a T-shirt business, for several years in Oreland.

Beside his wife and Matthew, Bowers is survived by four other children, John P. Bowers, Kelly Wilsbach, Linda Bowers and Jennifer Hamilton; and five grandchildren.

After the burial, Pagan members will "backfill" by hand the grave in St. John Neumann Cemetery in Chalfont, filling it with soil and Pagan memorabilia, said Matthew Bowers.

The viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at Urban Funeral Home, 1111 S. Bethlehem Pike, Ambler.

A second viewing will be from 9 to 10:45 a.m. tomorrow followed by an 11 a.m. Funeral Mass at Holy Martyrs Catholic Church, 121 Alllison Road, Oreland. *