John William Bowden Jr., age 56, a resident of Addison, IL, passed away after a struggle with cancer on Wednesday, April 24, 2013, at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, IL. John was born at Mount Carmel Hospital in Detroit, MI on July 26, 1956 to Dr. John and Rita (nee Streit) Bowden.

He graduated from Joliet Catholic High in 1974 and after a brief career in environmental engineering he began his career as a missionary, discipled by Pathway Christian Fellowship, and serving with Harvest International Ministries in Eastern Europe from 1988 to 1992. After his marriage in 1992 he returned to the US to complete his education by receiving his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Western Illinois University in 1998 and also began a family with the birth of his children Caleb Elijah, Rebekah Joy and Benjamin. Divorced in 2000, he continued his missionary work at International Gospel Church in Copenhagen. In 2008, John moved to Israel where he served with Christ Church Jerusalem and married his current wife Mouse (nee Fete) and began their family with the birth of Lily Rivkah in 2009. In 2010 Mouse and John returned to the US and worked with the Christ Church Calvert County, Maryland. In late 2010 Miranda Ruth was born after which the family moved to Illinois and joined Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, IL. Most recently, he was employed by Wintrust Financial Corp. in Chicago.

John never stopped being a Christian missionary and humanitarian through his service and song. He could stand on a street corner, play his guitar and harmonica while singing the praises of Christ and preaching the Word from the Bible. He will be remembered for the depth of his Christian faith, his joy in his music and his love and devotion to his wife, Mouse, and his children.

He is survived by his wife, S. Mouse Bowden of Addison; his children, Caleb, Rebekah, Benjamin, Lily and Miranda; his brothers, Jeffery J. (Marcia) Bowden of Inverness, Lloyd M. (Donna) Bowden of New Lenox, and William D. (Marlene) Bowden of Colorado Springs, CO; sisters, Nicholette (Dr. Dennis) Rademacher of Decatur, Margaret (Dr. Charles) Dillon of La Grange, Elizabeth (Jeffery) Biro of Mesa, AZ, Mary (Hugh) Wilson of Denver, CO, Susan (Charles) Schiek of La Grange, and Sarah (John) Casebeer of Decatur; 27 nieces and nephews; his uncles, Rev. Lloyd Bowden and Roland "Bud" Streit; and many cousins.

John was preceded in death by his parents; his maternal and paternal grandparents;and his sister, Jennifer.

A visitation will be held Sunday, April 28, 2013 from 2 to 7 p.m at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St. Wheaton, IL 60187. Interment will be held on Monday, April 29, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery in Joliet, IL. A memorial service will be held later that day at 1:00 p.m. at Church of the Resurrection, 935 W Union Ave, in Wheaton, IL.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Alexian Brothers Medical Center, or Church of the Resurrection.