JEFFREY BOWMAN

Jeff was born in Wheeling on September 4, 1966, the son of Carl R. Bowman and the late Judith Broemsen Bowman. He was also preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Paul and Anne Bowman, his maternal grandparents Henry and Odessa Broemsen, and his brother-in-law Michael Sundbeck. He is survived by his sister Pamela B. Sundbeck of Manistee, Michigan, his father’s fiance Sigrid “Siggie” Little, Harry and Carolyn (Broemsen) Keagler, his aunt and uncle of Kirtland, OH, and cousin Carrie Keagler of Sarasota, FL.

During his elementary, middle, and high school years, Jeff was an athlete, musician and scholar who was actively involved in St. Mark Lutheran Church youth programs, 4-H and other leadership programs. Specifically, he wrestled, ran track, learned to play the violin, and participated in the WPHS marching and jazz bands as an accomplished tenor saxophonist. Throughout his school career, Jeff excelled in math and science, receiving numerous academic accolades, and winning several science fair awards.

Jeff was a 1985 graduate of Wheeling Park High School and a 1989 University Honors Scholar graduate of West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. Upon graduating Summa Cum Laude from WVU Jeff began his engineering career with Dupont Corporation working both in Richmond, VA, and Brevard, NC. While living in NC, Jeff focused on both his career, becoming registered as a Professional Engineer with the State of North Carolina, and his love for outdoor adventures, backpacking, mountain biking, and kayaking. After working for Dupont for 5 years, Jeff took an educational leave of absence and enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. In 1999 he received a master’s degree in chemical engineering, resigned from Dupont, and worked for a solar battery start-up company for two years before pursuing his passion and securing a position with “The Mountaineers” the oldest Mountain Climbing organization in the United States.

Having been born in West Virginia and graduated from WVU, Jeff liked to joke that he’d been a “Mountaineer” long before his nearly three- decade connection to “The Mountaineers” organization began. Jeff was a 29-year Mountaineers member, joining the organization in 1994 and completing several climbing courses to eventually became a Climb Leader in 1998. As a 23-year staff member, Jeff was one of the most tenured members of the Mountaineer staff, working in several capacities including manager of the bookstore, and illustrations coordinator and chapter contributor for the 7th and 8th editions of the book Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. Additionally, Jeff worked as the organization’s IT Specialist, launching and maintaining “mountaineers.org 2.0” the “new” Mountaineers website. He also volunteered at Stevens Lodge, one of the lodges maintained by The Mountaineers, where he worked as a manager, host, ski instructor and cook, and employed his engineering background to maintain and improve the lodge’s infrastructure.

Jeff was an accomplished instructor of “Aid & Big Wall”, “Climbing Self- Rescue”, and “Intermediate Rescue Methods”. Passionate about big mountain climbing, Jeff also taught “Denali Expedition Planning Seminars” after returning from his successful climb to the summit of Denali in 2003. He was the recipient of the 2003 Seattle Branch Climb Leader of the Year, 2022 Outdoor Centers Service Award in recognition of his efforts to go above and beyond for the Stevens Lodge community and earned the designation of Super Volunteer for the last five years.

His life with “The Mountaineers” was eulogized in a blog on their website at www.mountaineers. org. For anyone wishing to view the blog, simply go the website, locate the blogs section, and scroll down to find the blog titled, “Remembering Mountaineer Jeff Bowman”.

Memorials may be made to the Mountaineers organization by going to their website www.moun- taineers. org or sending a check to “The Mountaineers” at 7700 Sand Point Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115. Please put “In memory of Jeff Bowman” on the memo line.

Friends will be received for a memorial visitation on Saturday, March 9, 2024 from 10:00 AM until the time of the memorial service at 11:00 AM at St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church in Elm Grove. WV, with Bishop Ralph Dunkin officiating.

Interment will be held at the convenience of the family in West Alexander Cemetery.

Arrangements made by Kepner Funeral Homes, 166 Kruger Street, Wheeling, WV (#304-242-2311).

Condolences for the family online at www.kepnerfuneral.com