Obituary of Patricia Bowman

Patricia J. Bowman, 87, of Boulder, Colorado, passed away on Saturday, May 24, 2014 after a long illness. Born November 13, 1926 to Captain Irwin Harold and Emily Whittle Joffee in Louisville, KY, Pat grew up in Denver, CO, first at Fort Logan and then in the Park Hill neighborhood. Pat developed a tight-knit group of Denver friends during her school years who continued their lifelong friendship despite later geographic separation. Pat attended the University of Colorado Boulder where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. At CU Pat met and fell in love with a "Delt" from across the street, E. Dexter Bowman Jr. who had just returned to CU from military service to finish his degree. They married in 1947 and spent the next 55 years living in Denver, Carlsbad NM, and Tucson AZ. Along the way they raised 3 children, Barbara Bowman Durning (deceased; husband Perry), Robert R. Bowman (Charlottesville, VA; Cawood) and William D. Bowman (Boulder, CO; Jenifer). Pat and Dex also enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, and New Zealand, attending operas in Santa Fe and Aspen, and playing mixed-doubles tennis. After successfully battling cancer in her mid-40's, Pat decided even more fervently to "carpe diem" and began running and hiking regularly. She ran 2 marathons, including one when she was 60. Pat was truly a mountain person, hiking regularly with the "down-hill hikers" group in Tucson. She also climbed several 14'ers in Colorado, trekked in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and Mongolia, including an ascent of 18,514 foot Kala Patthar above Everest base camp on her 62nd birthday. Pat was very involved in civic and church activities, including the altar guild and vestry at St. Philips in the Hills, the Southern AZ Friends of Jung (founding member and past president), the University of Arizona Humanities Seminars program (Board Member), and the Embroiderers of Tucson (founding member and past president). She was also a great lover of books and reading. In addition to her 2 sons, Pat is survived by her brother, Thomas F. Joffee of Mesa AZ, a cousin, Martha Brown of Los Angeles, and 5 grandsons. Celebrations of Pat's life will be held at the Academy in Boulder CO and at St. Philips in the Hills in Tucson at later dates. Memorial remembrances can be made to Nature Conservancy of Southern Arizona, Support.nature.org (Arizona), Planned Parenthood, 5651 N. 7th St. Phoenix, AZ 85014 or ppazdonate.org, Saint Philips in the Hills Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 65840 Tucson, AZ 85728-5840 or the charity of your choice.