Attorney Ferdinand B. Sowa, 81, of Freetown, formerly of Acushnet, died January 26, 2004, at home after a long illness. He was the husband of Mildred L. (Lynch) Sowa.
Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Antoni and Helena (Orlowska) Sowa, he lived in Acushnet for many years . A graduate of New Bedford High School in 1940, he was an outstanding student athlete having played football, baseball and basketball. He was a member of the 1940 basketball team that won the first state basketball championship. He was a graduate of Providence College, with honors, where he played football and basketball and captained the basketball team his senior year. He received his law degree from Boston University Law School.
Attorney Sowa was a prominent lawyer in New Bedford and Acushnet for many years. He served as town counsel in Acushnet for 10 years.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II with the 3110th Signal Service Battalion, and was a recipient of the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater campaign medal, the Good Conduct medal and the World War II Victory medal.
An active member of the Friends of Poland, Attorney Sowa was dedicated to helping the people of Poland by providing for their medical and other needs. He served as the Southeastern Mass. Alumni representative for Providence College for many years. He recently had become one of the largest individual contributors when he pledged one million dollars to build a building on the Providence College campus in memory of his parents. He was a member of the Southeastern Massachusetts basketball and football officials. He had been inducted into the New Bedford High School Football Hall of Fame and the New Bedford High School All Sports Hall of Fame. He had also played football for the Murphy Club and basketball for the New Bedford Hoboes. His interest in sports stayed with him in his later years by attending some thirty World Series and every Super Bowl until a few years ago. He had traveled extensively throughout the world.
Attorney Sowa was very active in the organization of the youth athletic leagues and the growth of athletic fields in Acushnet, and paid for the operation of the leagues and their yearly awards dinners for many years. He sponsored trips to Fenway Park for Acushnet senior citizens every year, and enjoyed hosting lobster dinner outings at his summer cottage for Acushnet people and his friends. He had served on the board of directors of the Acushnet Citizen's Club. He was a member of the Lions Club and the Thomas E. Tuttle Post 7239 Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Survivors include his wife; 2 stepsons, Brian Santos of New Bedford and Timothy Santos of Freetown; 2 stepdaughters, Kathleen Liarikos, and her fiancé, Dr. Francis Nasser, of Lakeville, and Lt. Col. Lisa Leonard, and her husband Lt. Col. Mark Leonard, of Alexandria, Virginia; a niece, Joan Carreau, and her husband Robert, of New Bedford; a great-nephew, Robert Carreau, Jr., of New Bedford; and 3 cousins, Peter Sowa and Stanley Sowa, both of New Bedford, and Evelyn Golden of Brookline.
He was the brother of the late Stella Hartnett.
Funeral from the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New BedfordThursday, January 29th at 8 AM.Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church at 9 AM.Relatives and friends are invited to attend.
Visiting hours Wednesday, January 28th from 4-8 PM.
Interment Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne.