Melody Ann Bowman

About

Clarkson University

FUNERAL HOME

Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home - Derby

253 Elizabeth Street

Derby, Connecticut

Melody Bowman Obituary

Melody Ann Bowman
Melody Ann Bowman was born to the late Albert and Eileen Fletcher in Gouverneur, New York on September 8, 1955. On March 11, 2022 she was received by the Lord. Mel led a varied life as she could succeed at anything she put her mind to. Growing up in small town Canton, New York, she was one of the first members of her family to go to college. She majored in classical guitar and voice at the prestigious Crane School of Music at the State University of New York in Potsdam. This is where she met her future husband of 46 years, Rodger, who attended nearby Clarkson College of Technology. Melody changed her major at SUNY to teaching with a minor in Biology, recognizing her desire to work with children. The couple were married while attending college, and moved to Connecticut, after her husband accepted a job after graduation. Melody completed her education at West Conn, graduating as a Biology teacher. At this time, Melody was presented with an opportunity to enter the jewelry business. She achieved both her GIA diamond as well as colored jewel appraisal licenses and worked with jewelry firms in Westport and Stamford. After the couple decided to have children, she returned to her chosen profession, teaching. Teaching provided her with an enjoyable career lasting many happy years, starting with homeschooling her beloved three daughters through seventh grade. She then started her public school career as a Science teacher in Derby and Shelton Middle Schools. Since her children showed an interest in playing soccer at a young age, she taught herself to play. In addition she took advantage of available training to become a certified coach, working her way up to becoming certified at the high school level. In addition to coaching for Derby Youth Soccer for both in-house and travel teams, she was an assistant coach for the Derby High School Girls Team for 10 years. She also played competitive adult soccer for many years, participating with her team in tournaments throughout the United States. Besides her loving husband, Rodger, Mel is survived by her loving daughters and their husbands, Genevieve (Gen) and Garrett Mayhew; Kathleen (Kate) and Evan Miller, and Elizabeth (Liz) and Jesse Gomes. She also leaves her adoring grandchildren Jacob and Ava Mayhew, Rowan Miller and Jayne Gomes, her step-mother Dorothy Fletcher, her siblings Wendy, David, Lisa, and Jeffrey Fletcher and Susan Mendoza, and a brother and sister-in-law Robin Bowman and Alice Oyola. Mel's family will receive friends and family at the Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home, 253 Elizabeth Street, Derby on Saturday, March 19, 2022 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM with a memorial service at 12:00 PM. Masks are required at the funeral home. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charities of one's choice.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Connecticut Post on Mar. 12, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Melody Bowman

Sponsored by Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home - Derby.

1 Entry

Stephanie Schofield

March 19, 2022

I first want to begin by offering my utmost condolences to the Bowman family. Melody was a shining light in everyone's lives she touched, and I can only imagine how dark her loss must feel.

Yet, I want to share how Melody touched me in particular and share the light that still remains in all memories of her. I first met Melody as a young student at Shelton Intermediate School where I took 7th and 8th grade science with her. Before this, Melody had become great friends with my grandmother, Rosie, and I recall our joined excitement at my teaching from Melody.

On the very first day in class, I remember Melody stopping in the midst of attendance to confirm that I was indeed Rosie's granddaughter. I share this minor detail because it was the first day of a very special relationship between myself and Melody. I shortly became the envy of my class as I had so quickly bonded with our science teacher.

Melody was the most vibrant and fun science teacher I have ever had in my life. I recall one day, while we were learning the pulmonary system, that she was running around the classroom, demonstrating how the valves in the heart work. Later on in the year, she had us build a diorama of a cell, something that I still fondly look back on today. Melody was the definition of an inspirational and supportive educator. She stimulated a passion amongst us all for the sciences and she had a unique way of touching every single person in the room.

When I graduated from Shelton Intermediate, I gifted Melody a "World's Best Science Teacher" certificate. This piece of paper was more than just a student gift.

As it turned out, Melody Bowman set the foundation for my high school education in the years to come in more ways than she had probably hoped. Her teaching gave me the confidence to take seemingly untouchable science classes in high school such as Advanced Placement Biology and UConn Physics. Her spirit and her enthusiasm for the sciences never left me.

This story came full circle when I decided to apply to the University of Connecticut and was accepted to the Biological Sciences Program. Three years later, I am approaching my last year of studying Molecular and Cell Biology. In my three years at the University, my ambition has been driven by the same drive I witnessed in Melody all of those years ago. Instead of just getting a degree, I pushed further, just like Melody had always encouraged us in her classes.

I have proudly become a pioneer in my field, becoming an avid undergraduate researcher and getting involved in scientific advocacy. Melody used to motivate us to ask deeper scientific questions past the basic "How did this happen?" question.

I have taken her motivation as far as applying it to my own independent research on antibiotic treatment failure. Her motivation to help others is reflected in my own drive to try to change lives through science.

I briefly mention my own achievements in my adult life now because of not only their significance, but also because of WHO made them possible. When I reflect on my greatest achievements in the scientific world, I think back to the very foundation of my education. I think back to Melody's class lectures and her enthusiasm for us to learn. Her passion has been rooted in me ever since the day I met her and it will only continue to help me burn brighter.

Melody always encouraged us to "shoot for the stars". To her, there was no such thing as failure or incapability to learn.

Though we have lost this amazing soul, she is never lost within our hearts. Melody inspires me every day and it is because of her warm support and motivation that I hope to continue on to earn a PhD in the sciences.

I want to close this off by again offering my condolences to the Bowman family. I am surely just one of the many lives Melody touched and I will forever be grateful for the massive impact she has had on my life.