Otis Ray Bowen (born 26 February 1918) is a retired U.S. politician and physician. He served as Governor of Indiana and later as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Early life and Education

He was born near Rochester, Indiana to Vernie Bowen and Pearl Irene Wright. His father’s side of the family were deeply religious and originally came from Ohio. Vernie graduated from Valparaiso University and was a teacher for 43 years. He also owned a hardware store in Leiters Ford, was a trustee for Aubbeenaubbee Township, President of the Woodlawn Hospital Board of Trustees, and President of the Leiters Ford Merchants Association. Mr. Bowen was a Scottish Rite Freemason and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1915 he married Pearl Irene Wright, whose family were also from Ohio and involved with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Otis received his elementary and high school education from local schools and went on to graduate from Indiana University with an AB in 1939 and MD in 1942. He holds 25 honorary degrees, including one from the University of Notre Dame and Baylor University. He married Elizabeth Ann Steinmann in 1939, who passed away in 1981.

Career

Otis Bowen began his career on an internship from Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana in 1942. From 1943 to 1946 he served in the Medical Corps of the United States Army, rising from the rank of 1st lieutenant to captain. On his return from World War II he set up his own medical practice, which he discontinued in 1972. During this time he also was a member of staff for various hospitals in Indiana and served as coroner for Marshall County, Indiana. In 1976 he took up the post of clinical professor of family medicine at Indiana University. During his medical and teaching career he also got into Republican Party politics, serving as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1956 to 1958 and again from 1960 to 1972. He was speaker of the house from 1967 to 1972, Vice Chairman of the legislative council from 1967 to 1968, and Chairman until 1972. After his unsuccessful attempt in 1968 he was elected Governor of Indiana in 1973 and was re-elected for a second term in 1976, making him the first Governor to serve for eight years in Indiana since 1851. As Governor he initiated a tax restructuring, and developed a state-wide emergency medical services system. He continued teaching at Indiana University until he was appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services by a vote of 93 to 2, making him the first doctor to serve in this position. It is said that as Secretary he always had a prescription pad handy, recommending remedies to cure the common cold and sore throat for both colleagues and members of the press. He served this position until 1989, when he retired to his home in Indiana. On 26 September 1981 he married Rose May Hochstetler. From 1978 to 1985 he served as a trustee of Valparaiso University.

Mr. Bowen has served on a number of committees and conferences, including the Education Commission of the States, Republican Governors Conference, and the President's Commission on Federalism. He has also received various awards, including the George F. Hixson award from Kiwanis International.

Otis Bowen is a Lutheran and member of the American Medical Association, the Farm Bureau, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Alpha Omega Alpha, Phi Beta Pi , Delta Chi, and Kiwanis.

|- style="text-align: center;" | width="30%" |Preceded by:
Margaret Heckler | width="40%" style="text-align: center;" |U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
1985–1989 | width="30%" |Succeeded by:
Louis W. Sullivan

External links

• National Governors Association Biography

This article contains content from Hierarchypedia article Otis R. Bowen, used here under the GNU Free Documentation License.