Margaret Elizabeth Bowman

Margaret: Her Youth Margaret Elizabeth (Maggie) Hughes was born in Kansas City, Kansas on May 14, 1935, the youngest of four (Patricia, Tom Jr., and James), and lived in Kansas City, Missouri until she was six years old. She moved many times throughout her childhood as her father (Tom Sr.) was in the U.S. Army, residing in Little Rock, Ark., Purvis, Miss., and Morro Bay, Monterey, Palm Springs, San Bernardino, Hollywood, Reseda, and Los Angeles, California. Besides being a very busy army brat and tomboy, Margaret actively participated in all her Catholic traditions and dabbled extensively in the arts. She was in drama at Geller's workshop on La Brea and had an agent, Nell Benedict, for a while, took dance with Madame Etienne, and studied piano. She played the organ at church, started the Organ Guild at her high school, and participated in choirs as a child and as a teenager. She met her husband-to-be, Bob Bowman, at George Washington High School through a mutual friend in the Thespian Society, and began dating him two years after her June 1953 graduation. Margaret: Marriage & Children She became Margaret Elizabeth Bowman on June 23, 1956 at Mother Cabrini Church on Imperial Blvd. in South West L. A. She and her husband set up their first home for two weeks in L.A. in a 33' trailer, pulled the trailer to San Antonio where she and her husband went through orientation into the military life at Lackland Air Force Base, then on to Winter Haven, Fl. where her husband learned the fundamentals of flying at Bartow Air Base and she conceived her first child. Her husband finished his flight training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, OK and stayed on for three more years as an instructor pilot. They "graduated" to a 42' trailer with a cabana during that time and she gave birth to their first two children: Robert Marcus, Jr. and John Christopher. As her husband continued in his military career, Margaret continued producing offspring, giving birth to her first daughter, Anne Elizabeth, in Fairborn, Ohio; her second daughter, Peggy (Margaret Mary), in Pasadena; the next two sons, Franz Joseph and Thomas Anthony, also in Pasadena; and the last son, Timothy Victor, was born in Medway, Ohio, ten years and two weeks after the birth of her first child. While busy raising a family, Margaret never lost her passion for music and drama, directing music in whatever parish to which they belonged and seeking out drama opportunities. In August 1969, she lived at Schilling Manor Sub-Post, "The Home Of The Waiting Wives," while her husband was in Korea, Viet Nam, and Korea for a year. While there, she helped organize a drama club on the Post, starred in its opening production, and was in Summer Stock at the college in town. April of that year, her mother went to her eternal rest. In January, 1971, the family moved to London, England where her husband was stationed at the Keysign House across from the U.S. Embassy. Maggie became the Music Director of the West Ruislip Chapel Catholic program. She went under tutorage to Greta Colson and secured a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music in Speech and Drama. She did extensive work in West End Fringe Theaters. She choreographed and directed various productions. She was a featured vocalist for the Camden Town Music Hall, and she traveled quite extensively with her husband on the continent. The Bowmans bought a used double decker bus and had it converted to a motor home. They traveled all over Britain on Holiday. In the summer of 1974, the Bowman's experienced the culture shock of moving from Britain to Montgomery, Alabama. They brought three additions to the family: Wellington, their Old English Sheep dog; Chrissie, his mate; and Napoleon, the toy poodle. They were assigned to quarters and spent a year at Maxwell Air Force Base. While there, Maggie taught English at the community college and began the theater department at Auburn University at Montgomery with a theater workshop course. In the summer of 1975, the Bowmans moved to Hermosa Beach, California. Lt. Col. Robert M. Bowman was assigned to black programs at the Air Force Station in El Segundo. Maggie became the resident director for the Youth and Teen Theatre programs in Hermosa Beach. She helped out the drama programs in the neighboring Redondo Beach, and did publicity for La Mama Hollywood. She also did an extensive Chancel Drama program for the local Episcopal parish. Maggie's father passed on at this time. Maggie ruptured two discs in her neck, which were removed surgically. During this time, she continued her schooling by gaining her B.A. degree and began her M.F.A. In the summer of 1978, Lt. Col. Bowman retired from the Air Force and went to work at General Dynamics in San Diego. The family moved into an adobe Spanish mansion in Escondido. Maggie, with others, created the General Dynamics Performing Arts Company, which did two musicals a year. She was involved with the community theater in Escondido, and took several business and dance classes at the community college. She completed her studies and was awarded her M.F.A. The Bowmans celebrated their silver wedding anniversary. In the winter of 81/82, Dr. Bowman became vice-president of Space Com in Gaithersburg, Md. The family moved to Potomac, Md. Of the eleven of the Bowmans in the house, John, Peggy, and Joe were in college. Maggie was busy being a socialite. She did work with the musical theater in Rockville directing "Damn Yankees" and the Potomac Classical Theatre doing "Midsummer Night's Dream". In January, 1982 the Institute for Space and Security Studies was formed and the Bowmans' basement and den became an office. Maggie traveled extensively with her husband -- all over the U.S., Europe, the Soviet Union, and most of its Bloc -- even to Australia and New Zealand. In June, 1982, Dr. Bowman resigned from Space Com and that August was the NGO representative for the Quakers to Unispace '82, the second U.N. conference for the peaceful uses of outer space. Maggie accompanied him and they stayed at the Youth Hostel. A friend got her a press pass, so she was able to get into the meetings of the conference. She was involved in her first peaceful protest. She met communists for the first time. She watched and supported her husband as he set aside his career for what he believed was a higher cause. They came home, told their children what had happened, and started seeking counsel and advice on how they should proceed. The family moved out of the high rent district of Potomac to southern Md. at Chesapeake Beach in the summer of 1986. It had become too expensive for Maggie to travel all the time, so she formed the Calvert Community Theater and directed for a few years. There was only one child left at home, and he was in college. It was time to retire to Florida. Margaret: Retirement Maggie and Bob moved to Melbourne Beach, Florida in June 1990, to a beach house in the South Beaches area. From 1991-1995, Margaret was Music Director at Immaculate Conception Church. In 1993, Maggie's mother-in-law, Louise, suffered a stroke that paralyzed her right side. She was moved from California to the suite Maggie had built for her, and Maggie and her husband became caregivers. Louise lived with them until she suffered a stroke on the left side and, consequently, was placed in a 24-hour nursing care facility. In 1996, the Bowmans purchased a motor home to visit family and for some of Dr. Bowman's speaking tours. They entered the ministry of the Independent Catholic movement at that time, and were ordained: Maggie became a deacon and Dr. Bowman became a priest. The following year he became a bishop. Meanwhile, they made a point of taking speaking engagements that allowed them to travel to destinations that included visiting their children and grandchildren. Margaret was known as "Grannie" to her 21 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Living by the beach proved to require too much upkeep of the property, so the Bowmans sold the beach house in 2001 and moved to Viera for a while, then to Melbourne, Florida. Maggie dedicated 57 years of her life to being the best wife she could be, including caring for her husband during the last several years of his life as he battled cancer. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 23, 2006. Bob Bowman entered his eternal rest on August 22, 2013. Life without her soul mate proved to be very difficult and lonely for Margaret. She tried to carry on as best she could, but she never truly adjusted to this change. Margaret Elizabeth "Maggie" Bowman, 81, of Palm Bay, Florida, died Saturday, September 10, 2016, at Holmes Regional Medical Center, Melbourne, Florida, about seven weeks after a traumatic injury to her neck caused by a fall. Margaret: Eternity in Heaven "Mom/Grannie" will be missed by her seven children and 21 grandchildren: Rob (wife, Cathy, and children Beth, Robbie, John, and Maria), John (wife, Laura and children Michael, Andrew, and Kristen), Anne (children Sarah, Kristina, and Terrence), Peggy (husband, Matt and children Bob, Megan, and Aimee), Joe, Tom (wife, Julie and children Katie and Leanna), and Tim (wife, Heather and children Peter, Melody, Emily, Lindsey, Benjamin, and Victoria). Also missing Grannie are four great-grandchildren: Marissa, Ryan, Rachel, and Matthew. She left behind a legacy of generosity yet thriftiness, always striving to provide for her family while at the same time being a shrewd businesswoman and a conscientious steward of her resources. Her family will miss her laugh, and the way she would smother you with kisses. We will see you in heaven, Mom! The next, and best, chapter of your life has begun.