Peter & Meg Bowen

click RAF Local Residents for Peter's RAF career

Hallmark November 1998. A Tribute to Peter Bowen, OBE

The death of former RAF pilot Peter Bowen whilst only 54 years of age, has left a large gap to be filled in many areas of Lacey Green life, as both during his first tour of duty here in the early eighties, and when returning to the area in 1991, Peter took an interest and active participation in Village activities.

From joining the RAF in his native County Durham, through service flying Lightnings and administration work both in this country and abroad, Peter found himself at Strike Command, eventually leaving the service in 1996, the same year he was awarded the military OBE. After leaving the RAF Peter took a job with the St. John’s Ambulance Service, where he worked until forced to leave through ill-health.

Before that however he had joined St. John’s Church, serving on the PCC, and singing in the choir “with a wonderful and powerful bass voice” as it has been described, and he also took the part of the narrator in the very first Lacey Green Productions version of “Joseph”.

He served as Chairman of the School Governors at St. John’s (which both his children attended at one time), and was Treasurer of the Village Hall Committee.

Possibly his greatest service to the Village however came when he revived the long moribund Youth Club, and worked long and hard for youth causes both at Lacey Green and in Princes Risborough, for which the younger generation will have cause to be grateful in years to come. All who knew him have paid tribute to his contribution to the village, and as someone said, “When Peter said he would do something, it got done”. Our condolences go to his wife, Meg, and to his two children, Andrew and Alison.