Dr. James Bowes

Dr. James Everett Bowes, 94, passed away suddenly in Frederick, Maryland on Tuesday, February 11th.    He was born March 27, 1920, in Washington DC to the late Doris Hilda Eakle and Joseph Hayden Bowes. Dr. Bowes attended St. John’s Military Academy and was an Eagle Scout. He also appeared in a Life magazine Boy Scout photograph with President Roosevelt.  While pursuing his undergraduate degree at Georgetown University, he was active in the school orchestra, rifle team, athletic training and cross country.  He received his medical degree from New York Medical College and interned at Mary Immaculate Hospital in Queens.  This was followed by training in obstetrics/gynecology in Cleveland, Philadelphia, and post graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania.  He joined the Army Reserves and was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.  He was in private practice in Salt Lake City, Utah and later received his Masters of Public Health degree from Yale.  Dr. Bowes was instrumental in the national polio and measles vaccination program.  He was the medical director for the Special Olympics under Eunice Shriver.  He worked for Dow Chemical in Indianapolis promoting the measles vaccine internationally.  In 1975, he became the Head of Epidemiology at the Marion County Public Health Department.  He later served as Health Officer for Cleveland, Ohio, South Bend, Indiana, Salisbury, Maryland and retired from the Frederick County Health Department in 2003. He played bass for the Frederick Community Orchestra and other ensembles before and throughout his retirement years.  Music was very important to him throughout his entire life.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Paula Josephine Haller; 13 children: Chris (Debby) Bowes, Marie (Stephen) Rodier, Theresa Bowes, Peter Bowes, Catherine (Tarek) Hegazi, Thomas (Sarah) Bowes, Margaret (Floyd) Lancaster, Andrew (Kriss) Bowes, Patricia Bowes, Greg (Patti) Bowes, Robert (Jennifer) Bowes, Bill (Julie) Bowes, Elizabeth (Ken) Harlan; 20 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by grandchildren Lodie Seastrom and Matthew Bowes.
The Bowes family would like to thank the staff of St. Catherine’s Nursing Home in Emmitsburg, Maryland for their assistance to James while caring for his wife.  We are also grateful to the members of the Frederick Community Orchestra who gave him so many opportunities to express his love for music.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Frederick Community Orchestra, 7932 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, Maryland 21702, and the Portsmouth Abbey School, 285 Cory’s Lane, Portsmouth, RI 02871-1352, or schedule a mass intention for the repose of the soul of James Everett Bowes.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 116 East 2nd Street, Frederick, at 11 am Monday, February 16th. The family will receive friends at church from 10 to 11 a.m. Expressions of sympathy may be offered to the family at www.StaufferFuneralHome.com.

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