Paul Bowser, the longtime owner of Natrona Bottling Co., a throwback to another era when soft drinks were bottled in real glass, died Tuesday from brain cancer.

Mr. Bowser, 84, who became ill early this year, continued to show up at his warehouse every day -- including weekends -- until March to oversee the production of old-fashioned drinks like Red Ribbon Cherry Supreme and Plantation Style Mint Julep, said Mary Jane Zdila, his administrative assistant.

Located along the Allegheny River northeast of Pittsburgh in Harrison, the business makes and bottles specialty sodas sold mostly in restaurants, coffee shops, neighborhood markets and other independently owned mom-and-pop establishments.

Born and raised in Harrison, Mr. Bowser graduated from Har-Brack Union High School, Natrona Heights, and worked for 30 years at PPG Industries' glass plant in nearby Creighton before retiring in the 1980s, said his wife, Eleanor Bowser.

Mr. Bowser was a teenager in 1939 when his older brother, John, purchased the former Natrona Bottle Works and Mr. Bowser started working there after school and on weekends.

After his brother died in 1976, Mr. Bowser took over operations at the company where Ms. Zdila and Steve Vokish, who runs the bottling line, are the only full-time employees.

"He knew soft drinks," said John Nese, owner of Galco's Soda Pop Stop, a Los Angeles company that sells boutique soda brands.

Natrona Bottling supplies Galco's with several drinks including grape-flavored Pennsylvania Punch and "Jamaica's Finest Ginger Beer Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Mr. Nese described his working relationship with Mr. Bowser as "real open and friendly, what you don't get in business today. Everyone wants a signed contract, your blood and your arm. I called him once and asked why his Red Ribbon Cherry was so good and he said, 'It's very easy when you use real cherries.' "

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Paul R. Ajak Funeral Home, 2 Pine St. at River Avenue, Harrison. A prayer service will be at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at the funeral home, followed by a service at 11 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 1500 Broadview Blvd., Harrison.