Builder to be buried with trowel in hand

12:23pm Thursday 12th April 2007

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Builder Tom Bowe loved his job so much he is going to be buried with his trowel in his hand.

The 59-year-old father-of-two of Low Lane, Calne, died on March 31 after suffering a heart attack in his sleep.

His wife Christine woke to find her husband next to her and his beloved Jack Russell, Milo, trying to wake him.

The couple were married for 27 years. They have two children, Justin and Kristy, and grandchildren Shauna and Natasha.

Mr Bowe joined Weatherguard Windows in Calne building conservatories and was well known for taking such great care and pride in his work.

Mrs Bowe says she now plans to have her husband buried in his overalls along with his work trowel in his hand at Holy Trinity Cemetery on April 20.

She said: "For someone who was still young, he did mention his funeral a few times before he died. He would say to me Christine, make sure when I am gone I have my trowel in my hand' so that's what I have decided to do.

"He was a builder and proud of it so I know it would mean a lot to him to be buried in his work gear."

The couple's favourite song Little Arrows by Leapy Lee will be played at the funeral as well as Mr Bowe's favourite Proclaimers track I Wanna Be (500 miles).

Mrs Bowe, a seamstress, said: "Whenever Little Arrows came on he'd turn it up and wind down the windows in the car and sing as loud as he could - it always used to make us laugh but he loved that song, it was ours.

"I just can't believe he's gone. I was putting away his socks from the laundry the other day when Natasha came up to me and said granddad doesn't need those now nanny' and it's true, but hard to let go."

Mr Bowe was born in Kingswear, Devon, and grew up fascinated with the lifeboats sent out to rescue stranded swimmers.

The couple met at the London Road Inn in September 1979 when a drunken Mr Bowe began pestering her to go out with him.

Mrs Bowe said: "I kept telling him to leave me alone because he was smashed but he kept following me around the bar.

"I decided to walk home and sure enough he followed me. I thought the only way I was going to get rid of him was to talk to him for a bit but by 3am the next morning we were still sitting on the wall outside the pub chatting."

The couple were married four months later.

Mr Bowe's funeral will be held at St Mary's Church, Church Street, Calne on April 20 at 2pm.

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