- Born on: July 24, 1949
- Departed on: November 29, 2025
- Resided in: West Branch, IA
Mary Bowman
Mary Bowman, a longtime resident of Iowa City, passed away in West Branch after a long illness on November 29, 2025.
Mary Jane Muller was welcomed into the world in Cedar Rapids on July 24, 1949 by her parents Kenneth and Hazel Fox Muller of Bennett; and her grandparents Edward and Edna Roberts Muller of Riverside and Arnold and Evelyn Thompson Fox of Wheatland. She was a fourth-generation Iowan and grew into a third-generation quilter and seamstress.
Eventually, she became big sister to three brothers: Thomas, Jon, and Patrick. To them, she was their hero.
Her first home was in Bennett, Cedar County but she lived for four decades in Iowa City.
After graduating from Iowa City High School, she earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and her Master's from Viterbo University.
On June 6th, 1970 in the Venus Chapel she married Thomas Joseph Bowman in Carson City, Nevada. They lived in San Diego, California for a time where Tom was stationed in the Navy. She was blessed with six wonderful sisters-in-law, one brother-in-law, five nephews, and four nieces.
She enjoyed traveling to Canada and Mexico, skiing with her family in Colorado, and seeing the Tlingit totem poles in Alaska. Many summers were spent with family at Northshore Bay Resort on Island Lake in Northome, Minnesota.
A lover of Pepsi, crafting, owls, and loons, her home featured many artistic items representing the birds. A lover of dogs, she and Tom had many dogs over the years including a boxer, Dalmatian, and many mixed-breeds. For many autumns, they would attend the Dock Dog championships in Dubuque. She and Tom were avid members of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.
She enjoyed vegetable gardening and putting that fresh bounty on the table. She enjoyed creating magnificent flower beds as well. She sewed and crocheted, generously giving away dozens of blankets. She and her grandchildren participated in the One Million Pillowcase Challenge in Des Moines.
She enjoyed Mexican dinners at El Patio in West Liberty, comfort food dinners at Frontier in Washington (especially the broccoli cheese soup), books and libraries, and the Hills Fourth of July parade watched from her parents' front yard.
A lifelong teacher, Mary did her student teaching at College Community in Cedar Rapids and then spent her entire career teaching 4th and 5th grades at Riverside Elementary for the Highland School District.
She was a tireless and excellent caregiver to her dying parents, Mary and Tom had two sons, Brian Thomas and Jeffry Scott, and Mary got to meet two great-grandchildren. Mary and Tom took Brian and Jeff on many cross-country trips, frequently to ski in Colorado and to California, Florida, New York, and Niagra Falls. Her love for her sons was never ending.
Mary adored her grandparents and was a wonderful grandmother herself. She loved orchestrating family gatherings, hosting holiday meals in her welcoming home, and going to her grandkids' activities.
She is survived by her husband; her brothers Tom (Belinda) of Atkins, Jon (Dawn) of Marshalltown, Pat of Hills; her sons Brian (Shantel) of North Liberty and Jeff (Jennifer) of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren Elizabeth (Tavereas) Moore and Nicolas, Lila, and Simon Bowman; and great-grandchildren MayaLynn and Jahseh Moore.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two infant daughters.
Mary chose to be cremated with her ashes spread near her grandparents' graves in Wheatland.
Memorials may be directed to Coralville Public Library, North Liberty Public Library, or Safe Haven (dog and cat rescue) of Iowa County.
Mary Jane was granddaughter, daughter, sister, wife, mom, grandma, friend, neighbor, teacher, caregiver, our hero, beloved.
Mary Jane Muller was welcomed into the world in Cedar Rapids on July 24, 1949 by her parents Kenneth and Hazel Fox Muller of Bennett; and her grandparents Edward and Edna Roberts Muller of Riverside and Arnold and Evelyn Thompson Fox of Wheatland. She was a fourth-generation Iowan and grew into a third-generation quilter and seamstress.
Eventually, she became big sister to three brothers: Thomas, Jon, and Patrick. To them, she was their hero.
Her first home was in Bennett, Cedar County but she lived for four decades in Iowa City.
After graduating from Iowa City High School, she earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and her Master's from Viterbo University.
On June 6th, 1970 in the Venus Chapel she married Thomas Joseph Bowman in Carson City, Nevada. They lived in San Diego, California for a time where Tom was stationed in the Navy. She was blessed with six wonderful sisters-in-law, one brother-in-law, five nephews, and four nieces.
She enjoyed traveling to Canada and Mexico, skiing with her family in Colorado, and seeing the Tlingit totem poles in Alaska. Many summers were spent with family at Northshore Bay Resort on Island Lake in Northome, Minnesota.
A lover of Pepsi, crafting, owls, and loons, her home featured many artistic items representing the birds. A lover of dogs, she and Tom had many dogs over the years including a boxer, Dalmatian, and many mixed-breeds. For many autumns, they would attend the Dock Dog championships in Dubuque. She and Tom were avid members of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.
She enjoyed vegetable gardening and putting that fresh bounty on the table. She enjoyed creating magnificent flower beds as well. She sewed and crocheted, generously giving away dozens of blankets. She and her grandchildren participated in the One Million Pillowcase Challenge in Des Moines.
She enjoyed Mexican dinners at El Patio in West Liberty, comfort food dinners at Frontier in Washington (especially the broccoli cheese soup), books and libraries, and the Hills Fourth of July parade watched from her parents' front yard.
A lifelong teacher, Mary did her student teaching at College Community in Cedar Rapids and then spent her entire career teaching 4th and 5th grades at Riverside Elementary for the Highland School District.
She was a tireless and excellent caregiver to her dying parents, Mary and Tom had two sons, Brian Thomas and Jeffry Scott, and Mary got to meet two great-grandchildren. Mary and Tom took Brian and Jeff on many cross-country trips, frequently to ski in Colorado and to California, Florida, New York, and Niagra Falls. Her love for her sons was never ending.
Mary adored her grandparents and was a wonderful grandmother herself. She loved orchestrating family gatherings, hosting holiday meals in her welcoming home, and going to her grandkids' activities.
She is survived by her husband; her brothers Tom (Belinda) of Atkins, Jon (Dawn) of Marshalltown, Pat of Hills; her sons Brian (Shantel) of North Liberty and Jeff (Jennifer) of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren Elizabeth (Tavereas) Moore and Nicolas, Lila, and Simon Bowman; and great-grandchildren MayaLynn and Jahseh Moore.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two infant daughters.
Mary chose to be cremated with her ashes spread near her grandparents' graves in Wheatland.
Memorials may be directed to Coralville Public Library, North Liberty Public Library, or Safe Haven (dog and cat rescue) of Iowa County.
Mary Jane was granddaughter, daughter, sister, wife, mom, grandma, friend, neighbor, teacher, caregiver, our hero, beloved.
