Members of the Bowser family, plus, on the far left, Catherine Willis, who was director of the Division of Senior Services for Mayor Robert Bowser, stand outside the newly renamed Bowser Family Senior Center.
EAST ORANGE — The senior center was officially renamed The Bowser Family Senior Center last week in honor of one of the first families of the city whose presence and contributions stretch back to the late 1800s.
“East Orange is experiencing a modern-day renaissance that was nurtured through the commitment, talent, wisdom and creativity of members of the Bowser Family, all of whom played a significant role in the evolution of our great city,” said Mayor Ted R. Green. “It is with great pride that we honor their long standing legacy in our city.”
The senior center located at 90 Halsted St. provides the senior residents of East Orange with a number of services and has a variety of amenities.
About 100 people attended the event that began with remarks by Council Chair Christopher Awe, who emceed the event.
“Our drive is all about progress but you have to know where you came from,” Awe said. “When you think about the Bowser family and the work they put into this city.”
Rev. Michael Jordan, pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church, gave the invocation, thanking God for the Bowser family and their contributions.
Chance’ Barnes Gould sang “The Negro National Anthem” and Darryl L. Jeffries, who was the public information officer during the mayoral administration of Robert Bowser and is now president of the NAACP of the Oranges and Maplewood, spoke about the family’s history and contributions to the city.
“The Bowser family is synonymous with East Orange and they have been one of the first families of East Orange,” Jeffries said.
Jeffries said the family’s history in East Orange began with William Henry Bowser who moved from the agrarian southern United States to East Orange around 1890 looking for a better life. The Bowser Family was one of the first African American families to settle in East Orange.
He was married to Annie Tayor Woodson and worked as a livery driver while she was a teacher and pianist.
Annie was also one of the founders of the Calvary Baptist Church. The couple had two children, Henrietta and Edward.
Henrietta introduced her brother to Louise Elizabeth Pateman, and they were married in 1925.
Edward and Louise had four sons–Edward Jr., Lucius, Hamilton and Robert–who together would have a long-lasting impact on the future of East Orange.
Edward T. Bowser Sr., followed his dream to become an architect and designed many homes, buildings and churches in the county and beyond. He served as a New Jersey Assemblyman, as an East Orange Third Ward Councilman, and the first African-American director of a City of East Orange department.
Edward T. Bowser Jr., the oldest son, following in his father’s footsteps, became an acclaimed architect. A veteran of the US Navy, he established a successful architectural practice and will be long remembered for his civic activism during the turbulent 1960s. He was a prime mover for the development of the innovative Kuzuri Kijiji housing development in the city, a pioneering concept of low-rise affordable housing in the United States. A gifted visionary, he left the City of East Orange
and moved to Ghana to start technical institutes and a farm, assisting in the development of African communities.
Lucius A. Bowser, a graduate of East Orange High School, and also a veteran of the US Navy, studied pharmacy at Rutgers, opened his own drug store and subsequently began a career with the state Department of Health. His commitment to East Orange was reflected in his commitment to the Boy Scouts, to the YMCA, to his high school Class of 1945 reunion, the East Orange Public Library and to the Historical Society of East Orange, which he founded with Goldie Burbage.
Hamilton V. Bowser, a graduate of East Orange High School, and a veteran of the Marine Corps, became a professional engineer, and founded the very successful Evanbow Construction, Inc., often described as one of the most successful African American design and construction companies in the United States.
The youngest son, Robert L. Bowser, a graduate of East Orange High School, and a veteran of the US Coast Guard became the 12th Mayor of the City of East Orange
Mayor Bowser served four terms between 1997-2013 and was the longest serving African American mayor in the City of East Orange. He died in April of 2022.
Mayor Ted R. Green said he hopes his family name is carried on like the Bowser name.
“It’s good to stand here with this family,” Green said. “I am just delighted because your name means a lot.”
Green gave a lot of credit for the renaming to Catherine Willis, who was director of the Division of Senior Services under Mayor Robert Bowser. Willis, who is retired, had pushed for getting the building that became the center when Bowser was mayor and she pushed Mayor Green to have it officially named for the Bowser family.
Two of Robert Bowser’s children spoke and his wife, Marilyn, had the final words before a reception in the center.
“I know that Bob is really happy and smiling down on us,” she said.
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