Paul Denton Bowman, Jr.

Paul Denton Bowman, Jr., 68, of Cleveland, passed away Thursday, August 8, 2019, at a Chattanooga healthcare facility.  Paul was born June 20, 1951 to Paul and Olga Shafran Bowman in Baltimore, Maryland.  As a young boy, Paul moved with his parents to Orlando, Florida where he became a high school sports star in football and track & field at Oak Ridge High.   As a sprinter, he finished 3rd in the state of Florida his senior year of high school.  Paul then attended Valencia Community College.

Paul was one of the players tendered by Coach Jack Pardee of the Florida Blazers of World Football League in 1974, but did not play.  He also was friends with many of the Minnesota Twins players, including Baseball Hall of Famer’s Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew, who played Spring Baseball in Orlando.  Paul was then recruited into Restaurant Management for the early part of his career, later moving into real estate and property management before his retirement.

Paul settled in Cleveland, where most of his extended family members resided.  He made Tennessee his home, although he would still cheer on his Florida Gators.  Paul made friends wherever he went in life.  He never met a person with whom he couldn’t build a friendship with, and when people experienced difficult times, he would be one of the first people to offer hope and comfort to them.  Paul loved to bring his best friend and dog Sparkie to the Greenway in Cleveland to exercise.  He joked “Sparkie was his all-time favorite wingman.”

Loved ones who will miss Paul until they meet again are his sister, Linda Darlene Bowman, also of Cleveland; brother, John Bertram Bowman and his wife Tina of Inverness, Florida; his niece, Stephanie and her husband Peter; three great nieces and one great nephew; two paternal aunts, Jean Eldredge and Linda Lawhorn, both of Cleveland.  Paul is also survived by his numerous cousins and friends, who will never forget him, nor will his dog, Sparkie Parkie Bowman.

Please join us in celebrating Paul’s life at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, August 11, 2019 in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Roger Patel and J.C. Bowman conducting the service.  Interment will be in a private ceremony.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.

And so, the story goes on until we see our Brother, Nephew, Uncle, Cousin, and our friend again.  We love you and miss you Paul.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made in Paul Denton Bowman, Jr.’s name to a charity of your choice or to Hospice of Chattanooga, 4411 Oakwood Drive, Chattanooga, TN  37416.

We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Bowman guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.