Richard Warren Bowman
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of former employee Richard Warren Bowman, affectionately known
as Sparky, on January 31, 2026, after a brief illness, just a few weeks short of his 100th birthday. He was surrounded by his family and by so many who loved and cared for him.
Born in West Falmouth to Warren Oakley Bowman and Mary Jane MacKenzie Bowman, Sparky was a Mayflower descendant and a 9th-generation Cape Codder. He grew up in the village of West Falmouth, where he was surrounded by the beauty of the land, the marshes and beaches that were his backyard, and that were so much a part of his nature. He also had a curious and technical mind, which led him to tinker with bikes, cars, engines, motor scooters, and motorcycles. In fact, that’s where he earned his nickname, by always having spark plugs handy when he was young. When asked by his grandson later on what was one piece of advice he had for taking care of a car, he said, “Treat your car like you would your grandmother!”
A WWII Army Air Force veteran, he served honorably in the South Pacific as a B-29 radio operator, including Tinian and the Philippines. After the war, he jumped on that motorcycle and was off to see the world. He loved motorcycles. His favorite was his 1941 Harley Davidson ‘74 Knucklehead that he put over 150,000 miles on during the ‘40s and ’50s. He returned to West Falmouth to marry and raise his family
Sparky began his career at WHOI in 1964 as a marine mechanic, specializing in diesel, hydraulics, and more. In 1974, he was promoted to senior mechanic. He left in 1990. Sparky felt part of the Woods Hole community, where he had many friends and colleagues.
Sparky was a member of the local Elks Club, Rod and Gun Club, and was a West Falmouth volunteer fireman back in the day (oh those clambakes at Camp Bennett). His mom always said he was a great dancer. One night on Main Street, Daytona Beach Bike Week, in his upper 80’s, a lady about 30 years younger asked him to dance, and of course he did!
Sparky enjoyed golfing and being outdoors, spending time with family, and relaxing on his porch with a good scotch in hand. He was an avid reader and, from an early age, was a regular visitor to the West Falmouth Library. In his later years, his favorite restaurant was a picnic lunch in the car at Chappy Beach or watching the sunset at happy hour with family. As he faced into these later years, he embraced the words of Albert Camus, “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy.”
Sparky leaves behind his two children, Dawn Bowman Tolley of Chatham, MA, and Richard W. (Sparky) Bowman Jr. of Boise, ID, seven grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his ex-wife Hazel E. (Pat) Bowman, and his stepchildren Pamela Hindley, Leslie Lesko, and William Parks Jr.
Sparky’s family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to his in-home caregivers, especially Vanessa, and the Continuum Care Hospice Team. His deep wish was to be able to remain in his home, and he was assisted to do that with all of their professional support and compassionate, loving care.
A gathering to celebrate his life will be held this summer, his favorite time of the year. Well done, Dad, and in your own words, “onward and upward!”
If you wish, please consider making a donation to the West Falmouth Library in his memory. Most of all, he would want us to raise a glass to a good life for all.
Information for this obituary is from his family