Jo Anne Bowman

In the early morning of August 1, 2025, Jo Anne Bowman peacefully went home to God after two months of being on hospice care. She was 81 years old. Jo Anne was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Joe. She was the loving mom of her four girls Eileen Bedara (Mark, dec.), Nancy Jo Bachrach (Burt), Suzie McHale, and Katie Hansen (Lew). Jo Anne was the best Grandmom/Gum Gum/Megum to Patrick, Brendan, Aidan, Jimmy, Joey, Kevin, Maddie, Emily, Lilly, Sadie and Emmet. She was the dear friend of Kay Buraczewski, Michelle Billups and Meghan Baratta. She is predeceased by several family members and friends, and we know they welcomed her to heaven the same way our mom made sure everyone around her felt welcome, comfortable, and included. We hope the heavenly sweet table was everything she dreamed of and more.

Jo Anne was born in Bristol, PA and grew up in the Nicetown neighborhood of North Philly, the youngest of Kitty and Roy's four children (Pete, Kate, and Bill). She graduated from Little Flower High School in 1961 and worked at her family bar on Fifth Street and various secretary jobs, eventually landing at Fox Chase Cancer Center, where she retired in 2010. She kept active in her retirement years, and volunteered well into her 70s at The Marion Bolger Recreational Program at St. David Parish, supporting young adults with severe cognitive and physical impairments. She also worked part-time for the Upper Moreland School District, often picking assignments that allowed her the joy of crossing paths with one or more of her grandies during the school day, where she was known to share Life Savers and mints with her grandchildren and their friends.

She married Joe on October 14, 1967 and together they raised four daughters who inherited the very best qualities of them both. She figured out how to balance work and home, making it look seamless and setting an inspiring example for her girls. Jo Anne was the absolute best grandmom around and was always ready to take her grandies on an adventure, sometimes a train ride to Center City, a weekend away at The Dink in the Bowconos, or even thrift store shopping sprees. She was the owner and operator of BowCare - even hired Joe after his retirement - and made sure tickle tonics were administered freely. Her Friday night pizza parties were legendary, as was her sweet tooth (still going strong until the very end).

Jo Anne had a lifelong love of writing. Whether handwritten or typed, her letters were treasured by family and friends for their warmth, wit, and sincerity. She kept journals and even took a creative writing course at Holy Family College, always eager to learn and express herself. Her writing mirrored her personality: kind, encouraging, and unfailingly optimistic, always with a touch of humor that made her words even more memorable.

Jo Anne always wished she was rich instead of soooo good looking. Her riches came in the form of her personality, how she made people feel and the memories she created. She was generous and selfless, always putting others before herself. On any given Sunday morning you could smell coffee and breakfast cooking while listening to Phantom of the Opera, Paul Simon or the sound of Quaker City String Band. She was a great cook and made the best potato salad and made dinners with names like "Chicken Strange" and "Hamburger Mish Mosh." She was our sunshine and will be incredibly missed. LY, YM.

Relatives and friends are invited to her viewing at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 7, 2025 at St. David Roman Catholic Church, 316 Easton Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090. Her Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA. In honor of our mom's favorite color and the brightness she brought to life, we would be delighted to see you wear yellow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to The Marion Bolger Recreational Program, c/o St. David Rectory, 316 N. Easton Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090.