East Windsor Obituary: Barbara Bowman, 74

Barbara Jean (Moeller) "B.J." Bowman, 74, of South Windsor, beloved wife of Clinton Bowman died peacefully on Friday June 16, 2017, at Hartford Hospital.

Born in Oceanside, NY, daughter of the late Ernst F. and Margaret (Thomson) Moeller, she was born on January 11, 1943 and grew up in Valley Stream, Long Island. She attended Valley Stream South High School, graduating in 1960. She was very active in the yearbook, chorus, and was Treasurer of the Future Teachers of America. She participated in volleyball, tennis, and ice skating clubs.

B.J. attended Thiel College in Greenville, PA, where she met her future husband, Clint. She graduated in 1964 with a degree in Spanish. While at Thiel, she was very active in her sorority, Beta Sigma Omicron, which later became Zeta Tau Alpha. She was a member of the 1961 Homecoming Court as well as a member of the Spanish Honorary Society. She spent her junior year studying at The University of Madrid.

At the end of her year abroad Clint joined her, they traveled to Paris where they bought a VW Bug and then spent two and a half months traveling through Europe, the British Isles, and Scandinavia. When they returned home by ship from Gibraltar, they sailed into a hurricane. While others were huddled below deck, Barb and Clint danced the night away. They were the only couple on the dance floor.

B.J. and Clint were married in 1964 and moved to Morgantown, WV, while Clint was in graduate school. Barb taught at Perryopolis High School. They moved to Hatboro, PA in 1966, where Barb taught at Abington High School and gave birth to two daughters. While there, Barb earned her "Powder Puff" License, which meant she could use the radio, fly, and land the plane, in case anything happened to Clint, who was a pilot.

In 1971, they moved to South Windsor. Barb was a stay-at-home mom until Janine attended school. She then returned to teaching, first as a substitute teacher, and then full-time at JFK Middle School in Enfield followed by 27 years at East Windsor High School, where she taught Spanish I-V. She started the Spanish Club and was a class advisor several times.

Barbara loved to travel with her family. They traveled extensively throughout Europe, Japan, the United States (missing only North Dakota) and visited all the provinces in Canada. She spent many summers in a cabin at Moosehead Lake, Maine. Her favorite trips were driving to Alaska. The first trip was when the girls were still in school, and they pitched a tent every night. The second time was three years ago when she and Clint took their motorhome to Alaska, spending 77 days on the road, 40 of them in every part of Alaska. They went fly-in fishing and even though she was not an avid fisherman, Barb caught the biggest silver salmon that week. They flew up to Mt. McKinley (Denali) and landed on a glacier at 13, 000 feet.

She loved wildlife. Barbs' happiest times in her life were when she visited the kids in Ohio and Colorado. She snowshoed and cross country skied at 10, 000 feet in the Rockies and at Lake Placid, NY, she also hiked the rails to trails in Amish Country, Ohio. She was very active, enjoying ice skating, swimming, tandem biking with Lyle in the Rockies, hiking with the girls, and water aerobics. Most of all she loved to dance with Clint.

She was very active in her alumni sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, serving twice as president and also as treasurer. She organized the first New England Zeta Day, which brings actives and alums together from all six New England states, a tradition which continues today. She was proud to receive her 50 year pin in 2015.

She was also very active at Emanuel Lutheran Church, being a member of Ruth Circle and Book Club, as well as serving as a Stephen Minister. She relished the friendships she developed there and all of the prayers and support she received. Without her love, encouragement and force, Clint would probably not have stayed in coaching as long as he has. Mrs. B. loved going along to the meets and touring the areas we visited, like West Point, Boston, Virginia and West Virginia when Clint coached college, and she never tired of Wickham Park, always encouraging the kids to run faster and finish strong. Barbara was also an avid bird watcher and loved to watch the birds from her sun room, she kept a detailed log of the birds she saw.

In addition to her husband of 53 years, Clint, Barb leaves behind by her two daughters and their husbands; Becky and Lyle Reusser, of Big Prairie, OH, and Janine Bowman and Chris Hecht of Aurora, CO. Three grandchildren, Ryan and his wife Kelly Reusser of Lakeville, OH, Aaron and his wife Kaitlyn Reusser of Big Prairie, OH, and Derek Reusser of Big Prairie, OH, her, great grandson, Cole Reusser, two sisters and their husbands, Marilyn and Louis Lieto of Rumney, NH, and Dorothy and Michael Boucher of Augusta, KA, a special niece, Jessica Flagmeier, for whom Barb and Clint were guardians for 9 years, as well as many extended family members on both sides.

Barbara's family will receive friends on Friday, June 23, 2017 at the Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home; 419 Buckland Road South Windsor from 5-8pm, Friends may also gather from 10-11am on Saturday June 24, 2017 at Emanuel Lutheran Church 60 Church St. Manchester with a funeral service at 11am. Burial will follow at Wapping Cemetery in South Windsor.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The Stephen Ministry at Emanuel Lutheran Church. (Stephen Ministers are laypersons - trained to counsel people who are in crisis), or to the Emanuel Lutheran Church Parish Nurse Fund (This fund provides assistance to people with medical and social issues). For either of these charities, please make the check out to Emanuel Lutheran Church, and mail to 60 Church Street, Manchester, CT 06040. On the memo line, designate which fund you would wish it to go to. Donations may also be made to the Zeta Tau Alpha Scholarship Fund to be established in Barbara's name, details to be provided at the funeral home.

Please visit us online at www.carmonfuneralhome.com for online condolences and guestbook.