Executive Secretary and Notary Public Jeanie Higgins administers the Oath of Office to James J. “Cork” Bowen of Paden City, who has been appointed to the Wetzel County Board of Education. Bowen is filling the post vacated by former member Amy Dieffenbauch. (Photo by Miranda Stokes)

James J. “Cork” Bowen of Paden City was sworn into office during a special Wetzel County Board of Education meeting held Monday evening. Jeanie Higgins, executive secretary and notary public, administered the Oath of Office to Bowen, who was formally appointed at the board’s Jan. 17 meeting.

Bowen filled the post vacated by Amy Dieffenbauch, who resigned from the board on Jan. 3 to begin campaigning for a seat on the Wetzel County Commission. Bowen will remain on the board until June 30.

Bowen was born and raised in Paden City but moved away in 1978 to work for Exxon Mobil, where he worked in many safety and human resource positions in Huntington, W.Va.; Gillette, Wyo.; and Baytown and Houston, Texas.

Bowen retired in 2006 and moved back to Paden City in 2008 where he has been actively involved with the Cornerstone Committee, Paden City High School’s Local School Improvement Council, the Paden City Development Authority, the Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce, and West Virginia Northern Community College’s Friends of the College.

Bowen has two grown children: daughter Janessa, 24, lives in Austin, Texas; and son Jonathan, 27, who is a First Lieutenant in the Marine Corp, soon to be stationed in Hawaii as a helicopter pilot.