If you do New York genealogy, you have most likely used Fred Bowman’s books in your research. Possibly best known in genealogical circles for his 3-volume Western, Central & Eastern series of “10,000 Vital Records of New York,” Fred Bowman passed away November 7, 2009 at the age of 93. Following is a copy of his obituary:
Frederick Quimby Bowman, 93, of Albany, N.Y., passed away at St. Peter’s Hospital on November 7, 2009. He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on January 9, 1916, son of the late Frederick and Marie (Redding) Bowman.
He served in the US Navy during World War II. He was employed by the North Syracuse School District as a guidance director and vice principal in the 1960s and was president of the North Syracuse Kiwanis Club in 1959. Fred was then employed by the NYS Education Department in Albany until 1971. Upon his retirement, he was a self-employed as a genealogist, publishing seven books. He earned the title as one of the “100 Best Genealogists” in the US.
Surviving is his wife, Eleanor (Wickham) Bowman; a son, Ronald Bowman (Janice); daughter-in-law, Yvonne and her daughter Arlene; two grandchildren, Lisa Wilson (David) and Michael Bowman (Jill Tierney); four great-grandchildren, Kayley and Brenna, Cody and Kyle; also several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by two sons, Raymond W. and Kenneth Bowman; a granddaughter, Brenda Bowman; a sister, Martha Schmidt; and a brother, William Bowman.
Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, November 10 at the A.J. Cunningham Funeral Home, 4898 SR81, Greenville, N.Y. Friends may call at the funeral home on Tuesday from 1 to 2 p.m. prior to the service. Interment will be in the Greenville Cemetery
The above obituary is from the timesunion.com.
Thanks to Pat Morrow for alerting me to Mr. Bowman’s passing.
The just-released 1940 census shows his parents and brother at the property my grandfather purchased from his mother that year or in 1941 (I live on the land, no longer in that house). In 2009, shortly before his death, I located Mr. Bowman to see if he had any memories of the place – but he was suffering memory loss and I didn’t pursue the question before he died.