Dr. Frederick Bowman Jr.

1928 - 2026

Dr. Frederick O. Bowman Jr, of Chapel Hill, 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.

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

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Betsy, his partner for 62 years 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, 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. In 2025, he was the subject of a UNC article entitled "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 ceremony. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to UNC-CH, The Bowman Fund for the Learning Disabled at UNC. Gifts can be made online at http://give.unc.ed/donate?f=101028 or by check mailed to PO Box 309, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-0309, with Fund 101028 in the memo line.