Cousin Jim Bowman - November 23, 1941 - March 28, 2019

I don't remember a lot about Jim when we were younger. I think he was about 6 years old when they moved back from D.C.   Mother told us that Aunt Luella would come up through the fields in the snow to visit.  She brought Jim but I don't know if Betty Lou was there during that time or working in D.C. 

Uncle Vernon, Aunt Luella, Betty Lou, and Jimmy Bowman
(CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.)

I do remember that when Jim was a boy, he touched the electric fence with his hand.  He found an old rabbit skin laying on the grass and I can still visualize him wrapping his hand in that and walking around, obviously in pain.  Much to my surprise, he remembered that, too.  I'll never know if he touched the fence on purpose or not. 

He told about going across the road to play in Muddy Creek.  He'd hang down over the bank, reach up into the mud under the ledge and pull out frogs and SNAKES!!!!

I crossed paths with Jim again when I moved back to the Valley in 2001.  Ed, my husband, had a heart attack and was going to have surgery through the military but in DC, not Martinsburg.  Ed and I went once for an appointment, using maps, and a computer program - but we got lost many times.  Mother had the idea to see if Jim would drive us.  It was amazing, we just got into the car and Jim drove us straight to the hospital!! 

Ed Angelil and Jim Bowman became really good friends - a most unusual combination - an outgoing, rambunctious, strong-willed city boy from Montreal, Canada and a basic not-shy, strong-willed country boy from Singers Glen.  Oh the hours they did spend on the computer - naturally Ed did all the mouse work since Jim wouldn't touch a computer.  They ordered everything from guns to cowboy boots. 

Jim had a friend in Maryland who had diabetes but who loved cheesecake.  Jim asked me to make a sugar-free cheesecake, which I gladly did.  Jim was thoughtful like that.

Ed felt bad about Jim eating alone so we had him over quite often for supper.  He liked everything as long as there was no cheese involved.  He had horrid memories of the smell of the cottage cheese his mother made.  For over a year, Mother, Ed, Jim, and I went to iHop for the seniors' half-off night every Monday evening.  Betty gave him iHop gift cards several times. 

Jim had a key to our house and we could always count on him to do a walk-through about once a month when we were in Florida.  One winter in about March, I asked him to check our pantry closet.  Mice had gotten in there and the devastation was incredible!  He took pictures and got an exterminator.  That was a gross job but you can rest assured that he didn't touch any of it.

Jim Bowman was the only person I ever knew who ate ribs with a knife and fork.  He did NOT like to get dirty in any fashion or form. 

For the 30+ years that Jim worked for the Washington Post selling advertising, he had to wear a suit and a tie every day.  It gave him great pleasure to get rid of all his suits when he moved back home.  Later he had to buy one for funerals but we ALL know he had to get a bit larger size! 

Jim didn't use computers but he read lots of magazines, especially car ones.  He researched a whole year and decided that I needed a Subaru Outback.  He went shopping with me a few summers ago and told the salesman to only show us cars that were fully-loaded.  That was a great choice.

I was pleased that Jim became such good friends with my brother, Philip, and Maribeth, his wife.  They had him over a LOT…..and he looked forward to the fully-packed doggie bags that Maribeth sent home with him.  

He and Philip spent countless hours working on the St. John's Lutheran Cemetery.  It was good for them both to have a worthwhile project.

Sorry this photo is so dark.

I'll always think of Jim with a cigarette in his hand and that slow grin on his face.  I will especially remember his radio-announcer voice.  He loved to have the center stage and especially liked to make people laugh!!!  

He was easy to talk to and freely gave out fatherly advice.  He was fiercely loyal and I knew I could count on him. 

It's hard to believe that Jim Bowman is really gone.  I loved him and I am going to miss him very, very much.