Mr Bowen was just 22 when he decided to have his sperm frozen before he began a course of chemotherapy for a rare form of cancer.
He and his widow Kelly had decided that they wanted to have children but had been warned the treatment could affect his fertility.
'Wonderful gift': Kelly Bowen, of Caerau, South Wales, with twins Ruby and Chaise today
Sadly, the chemotherapy failed to beat the cancer. The couple married in April 2008, just two days before Mr Bowen lost his fight for life.
Yesterday his widow spoke of her joy at deciding to carry on with the IVF to give birth to daughter Ruby and son Chaise on New Year's Eve.
Mrs Bowen, 25, said: 'I feel it is a wonderful gift which Gavin has given to me, even though he is not here with us.
'The twins are doing very well. I wish Gavin could see them but we are doing fine at the moment.'
Mr Bowen, who was unemployed, was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare cancer which affects the bones, after complaining of a pain in his groin in June 2006.
Tragic:
Gavin Bowen died just two days after his wedding to Kelly in April 2008
Doctors warned treatment could affect his chances of becoming a father so the couple decided to have his sperm frozen.
They had a son, Shay, who was born through IVF in October, 2007.
But the cancer had spread to Mr Bowen's lungs and the couple decided to get married at their home in the village of Caerau, near Maesteg, South Wales. Two days later he died.
Mrs Bowen said yesterday: 'Before he passed away, we decided we wanted a brother or sister for Shay, but he passed away too soon.
'After he passed, I thought, "I am going to continue to do it".' However, two rounds of treatment failed to make her pregnant - and she only conceived on the third and final attempt.
She said: 'I was worried when two tries of IVF didn't work.
'But I decided to give it one more try and became pregnant.'
Mrs Bowen found out she was pregnant last May, just weeks after the first anniversary of her husband's death, and was delighted when doctors broke the news she was expecting twins.
She said: 'I knew that it would have been a big possibility, because they planted two fertilised eggs and there's a one in three chance of twins.
'We've been through a lot but this is the best start to the New Year we could hope for. It is like a miracle.'
The twins arrived nine days early, at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, Ruby Grace at 5lb 12oz and Chaise Gavin at 7lb 10oz.
Their birth recalls the case of Diane Blood, who won a legal battle to have her dead husband's baby. ( dailymail.co.uk )
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