Dr. Frederick O. Bowman Jr.

Dr. Frederick O. Bowman, Jr, of Chapel Hill, NC, died peacefully on January 20, 2026 at the age of 97.

A Professor Emeritus of Clinical Surgery in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University and Consultant Emeritus at The Presbyterian Hospital, he was one of many pioneers in the repair of congenital heart defects. Dedicated to both adult and pediatric heart surgery, he advanced the field through both clinical excellence and research, authoring or co-authoring more than one hundred published papers and chapters. In collaboration with Dr. James R. Malm, he developed a management approach in the surgical treatment of the tetralogy of Fallot that served as a standard for many years and changed countless lives.

Fred was born in Chapel Hill, the son of Frederick O. Bowman and Sally Sanders Bowman. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and attended Princeton University for two years before returning home to Chapel Hill to complete his A.B. in 1948 and a Certificate of Medicine in 1950. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1952.

Following an internship and residency at The Roosevelt Hospital in New York, Dr. Bowman served as a Captain in the United States Medical Corps in Korea from 1954 to 1956.

He completed his residency at Roosevelt and Bellevue Hospital before moving to the Presbyterian Hospital in New York where he practiced for more than three decades.

Dr. Bowman was an active member of numerous professional societies, including the New York Society for Thoracic Surgery, for which he served as President from 1985 to 1986. He was a Fulbright Professor in the American College of Cardiology in 1986 and was widely regarded as a generous mentor and respected colleague.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Betsy, with whom he shared 62 years of marriage until her passing in 2021. He was also preceded in death by his sister, Betsy Bowman Townsend Wright in 2023. He is survived by four sons, Rick of Charlotte, NC, John (Cindy) of Ithaca, NY, Michael (Rebecca) of Boca Raton, FL and Bill of Raleigh, NC, and five cherished grandchildren.

During his retirement in Chapel Hill he served terms on the UNC Board of Visitors and was President of the UNC Medical School Alumni Association. He was a tireless advocate and fundraiser for his alma mater. In 2025, he was the subject of a UNC article titled, “A Lifetime of Giving,” which noted, “Dr. Bowman holds the distinction among UNC-Chapel Hill’s living alumni and supporters of giving for the most consecutive years…dating back as far as records show.” Chancellor Lee Roberts wrote that he “is a true example of how thoughtful generosity can create a legacy of impact over a lifetime.” A true Tar Heel.

The family will conduct a private service and requests that memorial contributions be made to The Bowman Fund for the Learning Disabled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Gifts can be made online at http://give.unc.edu/donate?f=101028 or by check mailed to Post Office Box 309, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-0309. Please write checks out to UNC-Chapel Hill and include The Bowman Fund (101028) in the memo line of the check.