William Bowker

William “Bill” Bowker, 77, passed away on Jan. 16, 2026.

Born on March 16, 1948, he was the son of the late Raymond and Violet (Lauze) Bowker. He graduated in 1966 from Hopkinton High School and in 1971 from East Coast Aero Tech in Bedford.

Bill was a proud veteran who served his country with honor in the United States Air Force for over 23 years. Achieving the distinguished rank of chief master sergeant, he dedicated his career to the nation, including tours of duty in the Vietnam War, Gulf War and Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Bill also served for the 439th Tactical Airlift Wing as an aircraft maintenance manager servicing C123, C130 and C5A aircraft. He was a proud member of the Westover Air Force Base Chief’s Council.

He was the beloved husband of Grace (Boelsen) Bowker and the devoted father of Mark Bowker and wife Patrizia of Bowdoinham, Maine, and Karen Rocco and husband Chris of Franklin.

Bill appreciated life’s simple pleasures and exemplified the things that matter most in life. He was happiest when he was out on the lake fishing, spending time with his friends and family, or enjoying a well-deserved nap in his favorite chair. His four cherished grandchildren — Cody Bowker, Jesse Bowker, Tyler Rocco and Nicholas Rocco — were the light of his life.

He also leaves behind his brother, Peter Bowker and wife Cheri of Hopkinton, and his sister, Marie Mouradian and husband Steve of Holden, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 3-6 p.m. at Callanan Cronin Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 10 am at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Hopkinton. Burial with military honors will be held at Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne immediately following the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Disabled American Veterans, help.dav.org or 855-619-HERO (4376).

Obituaries are submissions, typically from funeral homes, that are not subject to the same level of editorial oversight as the rest of the Hopkinton Independent. Obituaries may be edited for grammatical and factual mistakes and clarifications and shortened for space considerations.