John Ray Bowman, age 85, of Wilmington, DE passed away peacefully after a short illness, surrounded by his loving family on Wednesday November 22, 2023.
Born in York, PA, he was the son of the late John K. and Beatrice (Shunk) Bowman.
After graduating from West York High School, John went on to attend the University of DE. There he excelled not only in the classroom, but also on the football field as a standout halfback. Along with his academics and athletics at the University of Delaware, John also had time to meet his wife of 61 years, Nancy. Upon earning his undergraduate degree in History, he went on to attend Dickinson Law School, and then fulfilled his Army ROTC commitment serving in the JAG Corp. He then settled in Wilmington with Nancy where he spent most of his legal career at the DuPont Company in the Special Litigation Division.
Athletics, running, biking and working out daily were part of John’s everyday life and discipline. He completed three full marathons and countless half marathons and many other road races. Biking then took the place of running and he logged many miles throughout DE, PA, and MD. Along with his physical endeavors, John was a very thoughtful and inquisitive person, an avid reader and a lifelong learner. He had a thirst for knowledge and a memory that was unparallelled. John was selfless, gracious and kind, and a man of great integrity. Always humble, John never mentioned his many achievements and accomplishments, but would applaud others. John was truly content with his life which was evident in his positive and happy demeanor; he enjoyed a life well-lived. He loved spending time with his family and many friends and enjoyed listening, reminiscing and laughing with them all.
After retiring John spent much of his time traveling with Nancy and attending his grandchildren’s activities, two things that brought him great joy. Along with the time he spent with his family, John was very involved with his church, and participated in many volunteer opportunities. This included serving breakfast to the homeless, delivering meals, driving individuals to doctors appointments, and mentoring elementary school students. John could also be found most mornings with his crew at Brew HaHa or Janssens telling stories of the glory days, talking sports, or reviewing the daily Wordle.
He is survived by his loving wife Nancy (Robertson) Bowman; children, Rob Bowman and Beth Anderson (Todd); brother, Glenn Bowman (Carol); grandchildren, John, Alex and Kate Bowman and Ellie, Brett, and Bo Anderson.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s memory to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13th Street, Wilmington, DE 19806.
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