Born into a family of orange growers, scholars, builders, and artists, Bill was a 5th generation Californian. Until he left for college, he lived in Orange County where he discovered his keenness for golf. The only child of Martin and Jean Bowman, Bill spent many hours of his teenage years working alongside his father, building and maintaining his family’s 9-hole Busy Bee Golf Course in Tustin. His kind-hearted parents were proud of Bill’s positive approach to life; his mother always described Bill as “never having met a stranger he didn’t like.”
In 1969, Bill earned, with honors, a BA in Criminology from UC Berkeley. He continued academic pursuits at the University of Illinois, Chicago Circle where he received a PhD in Sociology. Collaborating with colleagues, he authored “The News People, A Sociological Portrait of American Journalists and Their Work,” 1976. Bill’s particular interest was, and remained, the importance of women in the media.
Bill’s university teaching career was short, but sweet. He was a visiting professor of sociology at the University of Hawaii, Hilo. He returned to Berkeley and began work as an analyst in the UC Chancellor’s office.
In 1978, a colleague introduced Bill to his future wife. Bill and Barbara were married in 1981, left Berkeley, relocated to Dry Creek Valley where they built one of the county’s first passive solar houses. Their solid marriage was based on both a love for one another and the life they created together.
Bill became an active member of the Santa Rosa business community. Bowman Associates was his commercial real estate appraising and consulting company until his retirement in 2018. Known for his honesty, generosity, and knowledge, he was admired by his professional colleagues and those he mentored. His most treasured volunteer work involved decades of service on the Board of Directors of Burbank Housing, a vital, local non-profit dedicated to affordable housing.
Bill died at home, unexpectedly. He is survived by Barbara Bowman, his wife of 39 years, the Wingert families of Santa Rosa and Sacramento, the Glenn family of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, cousins throughout the West Coast, his 1979 pickup, friends that go back as far as elementary school, neighbors, business associates, and his golfing buddies.
His family suggests memorial gifts be made to Burbank Housing, 790 Sonoma Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, www.burbankhousing.org.
