Donald Bowman

Donald Bowman, known affectionately as “Big Don”, age 64, transitioned into heaven, peacefully at his home on Saturday, November 4, 2023 with his wife and children at his side. Don was born in Hamilton, Ohio on August 15, 1959 to Donald C Bowman and Melva (Baker) Shepherd. Don’s father passed away when he was 16 months old, and his mother remarried Joseph Shepherd, who raised him.

Don graduated from Edgewood High School in 1979 and then worked as a machinist at Hamilton Tool for 13 years. Upon their closing, he became self employed, running a construction business, Bowman Construction & Excavating, for the past 30 years. In 2006, Don obtained his Florida Residential Contractor’s license, building beautiful custom homes for the next 3 years in Auburndale, Florida until returning to Ohio in 2008. Don was a member of River Church Cincinnati.

In January, 1988 he married the love of his life, Cheryl (McCarty) Bowman. Don was a family man, loving his wife, all his children and grandchildren passionately, but his true passion and heart was for ministry. He loved to pray, study the Word, worship and to be in the presence of God. He was a spiritual father and mentor to many, encouraging and praying for others, always looking for someone that he could help in any way.

Don is survived by his wife of 35 years, Cheryl (McCarty) Bowman; 5 children, Ryan (Tara) Green, of Celebration, Florida; JD (Usha) Vance, Cincinnati, Ohio/ Washington DC; Cory (Jordan) Bowman, Cincinnati, Ohio; Chelsea (Jacob) Deal, Hanoi, Vietnam; and Nikki (Jason) McCarty Beedlow, Mulberry, Florida; 10 grandchildren, who were his pride and joy, Treyson and Lilyana Green, Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel Vance, Sawyer, Finn, and Hazel Bowman, and Ever and Olive Deal; his mother, Melva(Baker) Shepherd; his brother, Ron (Mary) Bowman, St. Augustine, Florida; his mother-in-law, Colleen McCarty; his brother and sister in-law, Doug and Peggy McCarty; a dear friend, Robert Moats; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his birth father, Donald Bowman; his step-father, Joseph Shepherd; his father-in-law, Bill McCarty; his brother-in-law, Rick McCarty; and his grandparents, Noah and Cynthia Baker and Robert and Hazel Bowman.

Visitation will be Thursday, November 9, from 4-7 at Brown Dawson Flick Funeral Home, 1350 Millville Avenue, Hamilton, Ohio. A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, November 10, at 11:00 at River Church Cincinnati, 503 Clark St., Cincinnati, Ohio. Burial will be private with the family on Saturday at Warrens Chapel Cemetery in Vincent, Kentucky.

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