Obituary of Ruth E. Bowman
Webster: Sunday, November 20, 2022. Passed peacefully in her home in Webster, NY.
Predeceased by her parents, Frederick and Dorothy Pearce, sister, Barbara Pearce. She is survived by her loving husband of 68 years, Richard; children, Douglas (Mary) Bowman, Timothy (Judy Engh) Bowman, Constance (Thomas) Palone; grandchildren, Rachael (William) Main and Richard (Jessica) Bowman; great-grandchildren, Zoey and Camryn Main, Hunter Bowman.
Ruth E. “Evelyn” Pearce, mom, was born in in Lebanon, New Hampshire. She lost her father at a young age; she and her family were creative in making ends meet and had a strong work ethic.
She attended Lebanon High School and then the University of New Hampshire (UNH) where she majored in English. She was active in music and journalism, both in school and through church. At her UNH graduation, she received the American Legion award for Citizenship. She met her husband, Richard “Dick” Bowman, while working at the Lakeview Inn in Wolfeboro, NH, and they were married in 1954 following Dick’s graduation from college. They lived in Williamsburg, VA, then Rochester, NY, and finally Webster, NY. Evelyn worked at the University of Rochester and then part-time as a librarian at Klem Road and Ridgecrest Elementary Schools in Webster.
In Webster, Evelyn and Dick lived on La Baron Circle, where they raised their three children. We will always remember the pool parties, picnics, and 4th of July “parades” she helped plan with the La Baron neighbors. After 50 years there, they relocated to Baywinde Senior Living Community in Webster. Evelyn also greatly enjoyed spending time and making friends at their “On-Top-of-the World” condo in Clearwater, Florida.
Evelyn was always involved in some kind of volunteer work, including the Box Project (she had a family in Mississippi that she supported for 30 years), the Webster Baptist Church (mor than 20 yrs. chairing the Mission Unit, which helped the needy), and food pantries in Webster and in Florida.
Evelyn was active in various clubs and hobbies, most notably the family hobby of collecting old glass insulators, and the Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Association (GVBCA). She enjoyed Book Club, playing bridge and hand-and-foot. Christmas was always a special time for Evelyn, and she collected early-era Christmas ornaments and decorations; she was active in the Golden Glow of Christmas Past organization, where she served on the Board of Directors for 6 years. She voluntarily edited newsletters for the Golden Glow and for GVBCA.
Mom was known for her baking and cooking skills, as well as her hospitality, frequently putting up friends from out of town. Mom enjoyed shopping for bargains and those ‘just-right gifts’; she relished finding Christmas stocking stuffers all year round for her family. Mom instilled in her children and others the gentility of good manners. She loved to find the humor (and good) in all situations.
Evelyn cherished her two grandchildren, and then celebrated as they had their own children – including twin girls and a boy, making her a proud great-grandmother and “Nana”, as she liked to be called.
We will always remember her as a kind, compassionate, generous, and classy lady, and an outstanding mother who selflessly put the needs of her family and others before her own.
A Celebration of Life for her friends and family will be held privately. Please contact a member of the family for more information.
Evelyn’s family appreciates you sharing a memory of her on her Tribute Wall on this website.
Donations in Evelyn’s memory may be made to the Webster Baptist Church or a charity of your choice.
To donate to the Webster Baptist Church, use this link: https://www.wbcus.org/donations.html; please note "In memory of Evelyn Bowman" for the “Add Special Instructions”.
Alternatively, a donation in Evelyn’s memory may be sent to:
Webster Baptist Church (Attn.: Financial Secretary)
59 South Ave.
Webster, NY 14580