Ann Learnard Bowman

Ann Learned Bowman died peacefully with her three daughters at her side on April 13, 2022, a few months after her 92nd birthday.

Born on Valentine's Day 1930 to Edward "Ted" Heath Learnard and Beatrice "Bea" Lane Learnard, Ann's gracious heart was a defining feature of her life. She is remembered for her extraordinary kindness to those in her orbit. A champion note writer whose handwriting was memorable, she thought of others before herself, always gave people the benefit of the doubt, and was interested in (and remembered) everyone's kids and grandchildren. She was a terrific friend who generously shared books, flowers, and stories and her infectious smile revealed a genuinely buoyant personality.

Ann had an idyllic childhood in Newton, MA where she grew up in close proximity to her cousins and grandparents. At the Dana Hall School and Briarcliff College, she forged close friendships that she cherished throughout her busy life - she loved skiing at Tuckerman's Notch, playing golf at Eastward Ho, and writing poetry and short stories. After her schooling, Ann toured Europe with her sister, drove cross-country with a cousin, and ventured to Alaska alone before settling down to work as a secretary in the corner office of IBM's New York City headquarters.

In early 1960, she met Hamilton "Ham" Busser Bowman and after a whirlwind romance involving jazz clubs, ski trips, and visits to Cape Cod, the couple married and moved to Ham's hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. Three daughters came along in four years and it wasn't long before Ham and Ann migrated back to New England to raise the family in Duxbury, MA. The couple made lifelong friends in town over the course of their 57-year marriage. In a brief and happy interlude, the family lived in Dedham while the girls attended Noble and Greenough School, but soon after, Ann and Ham returned to Duxbury to enjoy bridge, garden club, paddle tennis, and golf.

Ann was an enthusiastic birder, a passion she inherited from her mother and passed along to her family. She volunteered with the Manomet Bird Observatory and was also an active member of the Duxbury Garden Club and the Duxbury Yacht Club. Ham, who died in 2017, was the love of her life, and the family finds solace in the idea that they are now reunited.

Ann leaves behind a loving clan, each one of whom feels fortunate to have been able to spend so much time with her in Duxbury, dining on the beach in summer and stalking Snowy Owls in the winter. She is survived by her daughters and their spouses: Sarah (William Temko) of Los Angeles, CA, Margaret (David Hunter) of Takoma Park, MD, and Barbara (Michael Rabow) of Mill Valley, CA., as well as six grandchildren, Jamie and Jack Temko, Dana and Sandy Hunter, Maya and Emerson Rabow and several beloved nieces. Ann was predeceased by her siblings Barbara "Barbie" Learned Chase and Henry "Sandy" Heath Learnard III.

The family would like to express gratitude to her caregivers from Allerton House, Safe at Home, Cranberry Hospice and Newfield House for providing such wonderful care and compassion over the past months.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 21 at 10:30 am at St. John's Church in Duxbury, followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Manomet Bird Observatory or Cranberry Hospice.