William C. Bowman

William Cox Noyes Bowman, producer, director, writer, and amateur anthropologist, embarked on his greatest adventure on August 16, 2019, at 6 PM at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans. He died of heart failure and complications from a broken hip. He was 69 years old, and is survived by his wife and partner of 45 years, Adrienne V. Parks-Bowman.

He leaves behind a host of family and friends, colleagues, neighbors, and acquaintances whose lives were immeasurably enriched by his love and generous spirit. He had a scalpel-sharp mind, a shameless wit, a measurelessly giving heart, and a personal integrity that was both rigorous and infinitely loving.

He was the great-grandson of Crosby Stuart Noyes, first editor and co-owner of the Washington Evening Star, and a descendant of the Noyes and Hempstone families of Washington DC and Maryland, and the Bowman family of Sikeston, MO. His father was Col. John W. Bowman, USMC, Ret., and his mother was the former Eleanor Noyes Hempstone.

He is survived by his brother, Lt. Col. John W. Bowman, USMC Ret. and his wife Grace, and his sister Ellen Bowman Perman and her husband Dennis, as well as his niece Elizabeth Perman Nehdi and her children and his nephew John Perman. His aunt Kathaleen Fishback Hempstone and his cousin Katherine Hope Hempstone and her family also mourn his passing.

He was born in Annapolis and grew up in Bethesda, MD, where he attended the St. Albans School for Boys, after a three year enrollment at the Punahou School in Hawaii. He later attended Princeton University, from which he graduated in 1974 with a degree in anthropology. Princeton was also where he met his wife.

He worked in broadcast television in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and New York City, as well as working as a free-lance producer and promotional director for Phil Donahue, Larry King, Charlie Rose, and the New York Yankees. In the music industry, he produced documentaries and music videos for bands ranging from KISS to Bon Jovi to the Moody Blues, and live music events featuring artists including Joan Osborne, P J Harvey, Art Porter Jr., and Sammy Kershaw. He was a writer and producer for musician-comedian Adam Roth, blues virtuoso Bobby Radcliff, and guitar legend Ernie Vincent, as well as helming his own record label, Rollo Records.

Bill had a capacious mind and a boundless curiosity and appreciation for music, art, food, literature, movies, television, graphic novels, and all forms of public and private celebration. After two decades in the New York area, he and his wife finally made their home in their spiritual birthplace, New Orleans, LA, where he embraced the Creole culture of death-in-life (and life-in-death) in all its myriad forms, finally joining his spirit in the dance.

There will be a celebration of Bill’s life in New Orleans in the spring, and a service of remembrance in Washington or Bethesda to follow. In lieu of flowers, mourners are advised to contribute to the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic.