Thomas P. Bowers, 22, an Eastern Mennonite University student from Harrisonburg, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, at Rockingham Memorial Hospital of complications from Duchennes disease (childhood muscular dystrophy).
Bowers was a junior honors student at EMU, majoring in economics with minors in accounting and history. He was a 2003 honors graduate of Harrisonburg High School.
Thomas P. Bowers "Thomas was a strong, diligent student. He kept on going even when he was tired. He was a strong person who wanted to learn all he could," said Joshua Akers, an EMU senior computer science major from Christiansburg, Va. "You couldn’t tell from looking at his work that he was dealing with physical limitations."
Akers assisted Bowers in the Academic Support Center with a voice recognition computer program that allowed him to dictate e-mails and do course assignments.
He is survived by his parents, Mark and Deborah Bowers of Harrisonburg; a brother, John P. Bowers; grandparents, several aunts and uncles and nine cousins.
The funeral was held Feb. 18, 2007, at Main Street United Methodist Church, Petersburg, W.Va., with burial at Cherry Hill Cemetary, Upper Tract, W.Va.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3300 East Sunrise Drive, Tucson, Ariz., 85718 or to the Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation Department c/o A Dream Come True, 305 S. Dogwood Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.