Sylvia May Smith Bowman

Sylvia May Smith Bowman 5-12-26 to 6-28-08 LEOMINSTER Sylvia May Smith was born on May 12, 1926 to Katherine and Herbert Smith in Buffalo, New York. In 1934, she was adopted by Harriet and Theodore Bowman, her aunt and uncle. After Sylvia Bowman completed Vassar College in 1949, she studied art in Italy on a Fulbright Scholarship, the first granted to a Vassar graduate. She held various management positions in New York and Massachusetts, and also had a shop, The May Tree, in Worcester, MA, where she sold jewelry of her own design among other things. Sylvia Bowman was a courageous fighter for the rights of women and children, including incest survivors. In 1967, she became a social worker for the State of Massachusetts and a member of Local 509 of the Service Employees International Union. Sylvia ran for president of Local 509 in 1987, and experienced outrageously disrespectful tactics used by her opponent's campaign. She filed charges of sexual harassment and in 1995 won her case in the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Sylvia was a brilliant and extremely articulate woman who loved learning and had an extensive library. Several of her favorite interests were gems, the study of the Goddess, and history. She loved nature and frequently retreated to a country cottage in New York where she maintained 22 bird feeders. Sylvia was a follower of the Goddess, in the practice of the earth-based religion, Wicca. She was honored as an Ancient Crone in her circle, where her witch name was Hawthorne. She was known for her generosity, wit, and teaching. Sylvia's spiritual journey included over 40 years of sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous. Sylvia Bowman was active in the Unitarian Universalist Church, and a member of the Rowe, MA, Camp and Conference Center. In the year before her passing, Sylvia created The May Tree Residency for Women in the Arts so that each year a woman can pursue her artistic passion at Rowe. Sylvia departed this life on the morning of June 28, 2008, in Leominster, MA. She is survived by her sister, Janet Wheeler of Silver Spring, MD, a nephew Theodore J. Bowman of Rocklin, CA, two cats named Spartacus and Buddika, and many loving friends. BOWMAN A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 26, 2008 in the Unitarian Universalist Church, 15 West St., Leominster. In lieu of flowers, donations to Sylvia Bowman's memory may be made to The May Tree Endowment at Rowe Camp and Conference Center. Blessed be.