Delmer Elwyn Stowell

Delmer Elwyn Stowell: November 26, 1927 — September 27, 2025

LONGVIEW- World War II Veteran, Delmer E. Stowell passed away September 27, 2025. He was 97 years old. 

He was born in Velva, North Dakota on November 26, 1927. He came to Washington State around age nine or ten. As a boy he made money fixing up old bicycles. In his early 20’s he started buying beat up old cars to fix up, paint and sell. some of these cars he would use for a down payment to buy a house. He mostly gave up his job of painting cars when he gave the job to his son, Doug and his best friend Mike to ” keep the boys busy and out of trouble”.

He worked at Weyerhaeuser pulp and paper mill for 34 years and retired at age 55. Then he started buying apartments and duplexes to fix up and rent. He spent most of his retired life living in Longview in the summer and staying in California in the winter. He loved sunny California. He also owned a car lot and wrecking yard. 

He was so proud of his 2002 Thunderbird and his 2001 Harley Davidson Ford 150 truck and several Lincolns. He was not a happy camper when his son Doug’s Japanese cars were beginning to be worth more than his American cars. Another one of his greatest joys was auto racing on the track. It gave him fun, freedom and excitement.

In his late 80’s his body started to slow down a bit after he broke a hip, but don’t you dare ever tell him he was getting old. His mine was still extremely shartp and no way was he going to stay in an adult home where old people lived. He loved reading books, especially history books. He always wanted to learn about new things. The last eight years or so he did a lot of puzzles and played dominoes with his family. His wife JoAnn passed away January 11, 2017. He is survived by his son Doug Stowell, his daughters Jan Bonneau, Debbie Smith, Karla Gann and Roxy Wendland, along with numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. 

A funeral service will be held at Steele Chapel on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 1:30pm. Coffee and cookies will follow.