The Galveston County Daily News

Editor's note: David Bowers, a former Galveston City Council member, is the new president of Galveston Historical Foundation.

Name: David William Bowers

City of Residence: Galveston

Family: The oldest of five, with two brothers and two sisters, the range is 17-1/2 years. We recently lost both parents. Partner: John. Dog: Buster.

Birth date and place: Sept. 23, 1953, at Ransom Memorial Hospital, Ottawa, Kan., a farm town 50 miles southwest of Kansas City and founded by my great-grandfather and a couple of other people.

Community Activities: President of the Galveston Historical Foundation, president-elect of the Galveston Board of Realtors, Galveston Rotary Club, Big Brother Big Sister. My neighborhood association is the Silk Stocking Historic District, and I volunteer my services and my house to their good efforts. Galveston City Council, 1994-2000. Galveston Wharves Board, 1998-2000.

Q: What’s your occupation?

A: I am a Texas Realtor and a licensed Texas attorney.

Q: What made you choose your profession?

A: During law school I got a job as a title abstracter in Topeka, Kan. I enjoyed chaining title and later joined Stewart Title, Houston. Bought a Victorian house in Galveston and slid over into real estate brokerage.

Q: What would you consider your greatest contribution to the community?

A: I was in my third term of city council and was the city council appointment to the Wharves Board. In a 4 to 3 vote, my side prevailed in bringing Carnival Cruise Ships to Galveston. There were those that did not want this to happen, but the four of us did it and are proud of it. Port politics was amazing.

Q: What’s one thing you said you’d never do but were proven wrong about?

A: This is a tough question. I have to say that I was not a fan of going on ocean liners. I went on one and now think it is the most economical way to see the world, the big world. I walk along the seawall every morning with my dog thinking about my next cruise while I try to figure out if the tide is coming in or going out.

Q: What’s your favorite musical work?

A: Gershwin’s Concerto in F Major.

Q: Who is your favorite actor?

A: Glenn Ford. In one of his last movies, he was being run over by two runaway wagons on Avenue L at my corner store at 25th and L. The movie was called “The Final Verdict.” He was a handsome, good actor. Judy Garland is my favorite actress.

Q: Describe yourself in one word?

A: Unicorn

Q: Now explain why you chose that word:

A: I could not start to explain.

Q: What’s your favorite restaurant?

A: Stingaree on Bolivar; 98 oysters on the half shell is my record.

Q: What four guests would you invited to a dinner party?

A: Julia Child, Bobby Flay, Paula Deen and Benno Deltz — They do all the cooking, and I get all the leftovers.

Q: What is your best asset?

A: I like political trivia; I’ll let other people comment on that. I would like to be more tactfully honest and practice more acts of random kindness.

Q: What is the last movie that made you walk out of the theater?

A: It isn’t the movies — it is the violent movie previews that really get me going out to the theater manager asking why is that crap on the screen when I am not paying to see it? Please don’t push violent movie previews on to me.