CRIMINAL JUSTICE

 

"I heard the heavy metal doors clang shut.  I was sealed off from the entrance behind me. My stomach sank. I was captive but only to my imagination. I clutched my camera ready to shoot the environment and inmates imprisoned at Walla Walla State Prison." So begins the story of Chris's visit to Walla Walla Penitentiary.  His tour of the "big house" took place in the 70's. 

 Chris's coverage for the Spokane Daily Chronicle, with reporter Bill Morlin, pointed to the need for prison reform.  Today the cry for defunding the police and emptying the prisons has resulted in more crime and more dead police. Here is my attempt to write a blog about the crime wave going on in our nation.   Oh sure, we have always had unlawful acts perpetrated by unscrupulous people.  But now it seems worse.  It is as Chris says, we have "the murder" report on the news every night.  I'll have to admit that there is less crime in eastern Washington so the news is better over here. Still it is not good.  

So last summer I considered joining a group at our church to discuss a book entitled, "Rethinking Incarceration," published by Tantor Media, Inc. I read the first chapter and was struck by the fact that both sides-- the criminals and law inforcement-- have evil abounding.  Then I read a review. It said-- "Despite the positives of this section of the book, there are some extremely serious negatives, the first of which is Gilliard's denial of the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement (PSA)." As a result I did not join the group.  No need to reiterate hopelessness.

The only answer to the problem of evil is Jesus.  Above is a You Tube of testimonies about how Jesus has made a difference at Walla Walla state pen.  Here is a link to the series on prison reform. Jesus has made the difference in prisons.  Only Jesus can save us.

Acts 4:11"...This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

LIFE, DEATH, AND GENEALOGY of DAVID JAY STOWELL

 

My dad -- 1930's

Questions I ask people are, "Where did you come from and why are you here?" In other words does your life count for something? I believe it does.  Lately I've simplified my life.  I intend to do the good works that God has planned for me, and to point others to Jesus.  Today I think a good work would be to re-write my dad's obit.   So the following should be much more complete.  I  added my dad's military service and schooling.  I noticed he had his civilian service overlapping with his military service.  The following is what I could discern from his notes.  

_______________________________________________________

Husband, father, and grandfather David Jay Stowell entered fully into the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ on March 11, 2003, in Lacey, WA.  He was the widower of R. Grace Edson Stowell.  They shared 61 years of marriage together. 

Born in Spokane, WA., June 22, 1914, he was the son of Claude and Isabel Snedden Stowell.  He was a 1932 graduate of North Central High School in Spokane.  After attending Whitworth College in Spokane, and playing football for 2 years along with his studies, he transferred to the University of Washington in Seattle.  He received a B.S. in Physics in 1936 from the U.  His many jobs included service in the Military--

1932-1935 Citizens Military Training Camp with the 4th infantry, Spokane.  Sergeant Army Reserve

1932-1942 2nd Lieutenant Army Reserve

1942 1st Lieutenant Active Duty Armored Tank Battalion Desert Training Center with General Patton

1943 1st Lieutenant UCLA Meteorology Training

1944 Captain coordinating briefing units out of Oceanic Air Traffic Control San Francisco. Hamilton Field- Fairfield-Suisun-Mather Field.  Co-author Weather Briefing Manuel for Air Corps

1945 Major in charge of Adak Weather Office and Staff WX Officer 11th Air Force in charge of Aleutian Wx Central after VJ Day

1946-1974 Major Air Force Reserve

1974 Lt. Col. Retired USAFRES 

After completing a job in food inspection at Washington State U, where he lived part of the time between 1936 and 1939, he began working at Felts Field.  After his marriage to Grace in November of 1939, and the birth of one child in 1940, the family moved to Santa Monica, CA., in 1941 where he attended UCLA, and was a weather forecaster in meteorological training.   In 1943 he was activated to duty in Adak. Grace, Jay and Roberta then moved back to Spokane.  In 1947 the family moved again to CA. and purchased a 2 bedroom home in Burbank, CA.  His graduate studies included navigation and math at UCLA. In 1950, the family which now included 3 children, moved to Arctic Village in Fairbanks, Alaska where he served as the weather bureau chief. He studied at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Sydney Chapman Seminars on astrophysics. In 1952, after the birth of a 4th child, the family moved to Alexandria, VA.   He worked first in Washington D.C. as assistant to the assistant chief of the weather bureau. Then in Suitland, Maryland he worked as a heavy weather forecaster.  A 5th child was born in Washington D.C. The family purchased a 4 bedroom home.  In 1957 his graduate studies included Public Administration, Management Intern Program, civil service commission. In 1968, with 3 children left at home, the family moved to Redwood City, CA where he worked until his retirement. They purchased a 5 bedroom home. He attended San Jose State U for meteorology classes. His notes said Micro-Meso-Macro.

His volunteer work included PTA, Band Boosters, Boy Scouts,4H, Salvation Army, Church board of trustees, Hornbrook Senior Citizens, R-Ranch.

His spiritual journey began in Spokane when he was 2 years old when he attended Sunday School at Corbin Park Congregational church.  He accepted Christ as his Savior in 1931 at a revival.  He joined Knox Presbyterian church. After attending Presbyterian and Methodist churches in Spokane he attended the Congregational church and Pilgrims club when he was a student at the U. of W. Later the family attended Calvary Presbyterian in Alexandria where he was an elder, Sunday School Superintendent, and taught the High School Sunday School class.  After moving back to CA. in 1968 they started attending a Presbyterian church but then later changed to Evangelical Covenant. 

He coped well with his Parkinson's and congestive heart failure.  He quipped, "If this doesn't get me something else will." When he would come to after a black out he would say, "I'm just in time to take a nap." He enjoyed baking, sharing and eating cookies. He indulged in crossword puzzles and shared them with his daughter Evy.  He took the family camping most summers.  

He is survived by 4 married children, Jay, Roberta, Davy, and Wayne; and 5 grandchildren, Heather, Jes, Jennifer, Sarah, and Grace,  4 nieces, and 6 nephews. When he moved back to Washington from California in 2001 he remarked that there are 14 relatives in the area who could visit him. He was predeceased by his wife Grace, daughter Evelyn, parents, and 2 brothers, Hollis and Ernest.

Services will be held at Woodlawn Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, March 15, 2003 with a viewing from noon until the service at 2 pm. A reception will follow at the Panorama City Restaurant.  Everyone is invited to attend. Dave will be laid to rest on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 at 11 am at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA. with full military honors.

Verse he choose for his grave marker:

II Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.