Bower, Michael O'Bannon
Michael O'Bannon Bower, 68 years old of Fountain Valley, formerly of Buena Park, passed away on Sunday, June 18, 2017, after several years of battling diabetes, congestive heart failure and dementia. He was the loving husband of Jennifer Louise (Robison) Bower who passed away on March 11, 2016.
Mike was born on June 13, 1949 in Los Angeles, California to the late David and Barbara (O'Bannon) Bower. Mike grew up in Norwalk, California, and attended Anna M. Glazier School, Los Alisos Intermediate School and graduated in 1967 from Norwalk High School. At that time, he continued his education getting his A.A. at Cerritos Community College, his B.A. from California State University, Fullerton, and his M.A. from the University of Southern California. All of his degrees were in the fields of communications and public relations.
Mike was employed by the American Cancer Society, Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District and Walnut Valley School District as a public relations officer. He also spent 19 years owning his own public relations and marketing company, Bower Communications, Inc. He also spent several years as a professor at Vanguard University, Pepperdine University, and Biola University and as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California, Rio Hondo College and California State University, Fullerton and Dominguez Hills campuses. In the 1970s he had a television program called Sports Mike in Orange County as well as a Sports Mike column in local newspapers. He won many awards for his work in journalism and public relations.
Mike was an avid sports fan especially for all USC teams, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Lakers and Rams. He spent many hours collecting baseball cards and other memorabilia and eventually opened his own sports shop, Sports Mike, in Cypress, CA. If possible, he never missed a game whether he could attend or watch on television. Mike also coached his son's baseball teams in Buena Park for many years.
Mike loved musical theatre and spent many years acting in musical productions held throughout Orange County including Curtain Call Dinner Theater, Huntington Beach Playhouse, La Habra Depot and Vanguard University. Some of his favorite roles included Jacob in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Arvide in Guys and Dolls, and Lazar Wolf and the Rabbi in Fidder on the Roof. Mike was well known as Santa Claus throughout Southern California where he spent each Christmas season being Santa Claus to many children with Definitely Dickens and Clowning Around. You could find him at corporate parties, South Coast Plaza, Macy's and many other venues.
Mike was a devoted Christian who was very involved in the churches he attended throughout his life. He sang in the choirs, was a soloist and taught Sunday School. He attended St. John's Presbyterian Church in Compton as a child. He and his wife raised their children at New Life Community Church in Artesia and attended Christ Community Church in Buena Park in their later years.
Mike is survived by his three children and their spouses, Timothy and Mariah Bower, Jonathan and Erin Bower, and Kimberly and Jonathan Proctor. He was blessed to have been able to enjoy his four grandsons, Isaac, Elias, Miles and Jude. He was looking forward to the birth of his 5th grandchild this fall. He is also survived by his two sisters and their husbands, Jennifer and William Collins, Debi and Hector Garcia, nephews Christopher Robison and Cody Garcia, and niece Katina Robison.
A memorial service will be held at 12:00 Noon on Thursday, June 29, 2017, at Christ Community Church at 6575 Crescent Avenue, Buena Park, CA. Luncheon following at the church. Donations may be made to The Izzy Foundation, P.O. Box 2326, Providence, RI 02906 in memory of his great-niece, Isabelle Wohlrab who lost her battle with cancer at 3 years of age.
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