Don "Brains" Bowden

Don E. Bowden
Amazingly Generous
Ultimate Entrepreneur

He
Rocked
It!!!

On the thing...

Don Bowden was born in Ft. Worth, Texas. Through the examples of his parents, Roy and Hazel Bowden, hard work, generosity, and family, were deeply rooted into the man Don became. Don began his career as an entrepreneur at an early age. He sold homemade cookies from his lunch sack to his elementary teachers, unbeknownst to his mom.

His love for football began by playing at Paschal High School and continued strong the rest of his life. An accounting degree was earned at TCU while working three part-time jobs. After working as the accountant for Primate Construction Company, he bought the small company. Always ready for a challenge, he decided that he could finish, without his crew, any of the road construction jobs he underbid.

While in El Paso on a road job in 1965, he met and became a partner with the owner of Pancho’s Mexican Buffet. With Don’s vision and tremendous hard work, that one family owned restaurant in El Paso became a chain of restaurants that covered Texas and beyond. He started Dos Gringos restaurants in 1972 and Mercado Juarez in 1982. Don wanted better guacamole for his restaurants. He learned of a new technology, high pressure processing, being used in Europe that could possibly preserve avocados for his restaurants with no heat or chemicals. He worked to perfect the process for several years, finally not only serving a better guacamole in his restaurants, but Wholly Guacamole was born!

Although widely known for his unmatched work ethic, and becoming an icon in the restaurant and food industries, Don was equally known for his generosity. In 2010, Don donated a refrigerated distribution facility to a community food bank, which supports thousands of people in Fort Worth. In 2011 Wholly Guacamole was sold, making sure that each employee, including those in Mexico, Chili, and Peru, received a portion of the proceeds. This event allowed Don to increase his time with his wife, Linda, and together, serve their community.

In 2015 Don became deeply involved with Victory Therapy Center. VTC is a non-profit Equine Therapy facility for the physical, cognitive, and emotional needs of individuals regardless of their ability to pay. Don and Linda’s dream to benefit educational organizations, numerous charities, and the Greater Keller Women’s Club became a reality when they funded and built The Bowden, and gave it to The Greater Keller Women’s Club in 2017. The GKWC Foundation is a 501(c) non-profit. Therefore, all proceeds from The Bowden are distributed to charities throughout Tarrant County and will continue to do so as their legacy.

After his wife’s passing in 2017, Don gave a gift to Baylor Scott and White Hospital, Grapevine, as a thank you for her care. Don and hospital leaders established a fund to be used to help provide employee scholarships, and continuing education for employees. Don strived to support charitable organizations that are forward thinking. He supported the Buckner Foundation and their Family Pathways program to support single moms with continuing education, and Buckner’s Family Hope Center in the Dallas Bachman Lake area. CRU’s Inner City ministry to families, and numerous gifts to non-profits and college scholarships were given through NTCommunity Foundation.

He helped numerous individuals in need, too many to count. From helping repair a person’s teeth, to paying for Lyme Disease treatments. Don insisted that a large portion of his financial successes be used for helping others. Don also invested in people. As an employer, his generosity was evident from his first business as he often provided personal loans for employees, as well as, helping others start their own businesses. His heart was for people and he wanted to ensure that those who worked hard had the opportunity to be successful. He, also, expected all of those close to him to do the same: work hard and do good by helping others move their lives forward. At home, he and Linda chose to love a precious little girl, who they lovingly grafted into their family, and whose life has been changed forever.

Lastly, but not surprisingly, in 2018 with previous partners, he began Fresh Innovations, LLC. with new products called Yo Quiero. Once again, all proceeds from his stock in his last business venture will be given to forward thinking charities. His church, Keller United Methodist Church, was deeply important to him, and that was exemplified in how he lived his life according to Luke 12:48, “To whom much was given, much will be required”. The world is, and will continue to be a better place because of Don Bowden. This patriarch will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife Linda, his son James Bowden, daughter Holly Bowden, grandson, Joshua Bowden, and brother, Roy Lewis Bowden. He is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Jansen, his children, Clay Bowden and his wife Cindy, Donna Winborn and her husband, Dennis, Bliss Nelson and her husband Daniel. Grandchildren Drew Winborn, Paige Robinson, Justin Bowden and wife, Crystal, Daniel Bowden and wife, Kelsey, Taylor Douglass and husband, Adam, Sam Bowden, and 17 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to Victory Therapy Center[ https://secure.paperlesstrans.com/VictoryTherapyCenter ] or Keller United Methodist Church[ https://www.kellerumc.org/get-connected/i-want-to-give/ ].