Foley Ted Bowman

He evaded the law and death itself for 72 years, but sadly for all that knew him, Foley Ted Bowman, born and raised in Mount Airy, has geared down and passed away on Tuesday, March 28, 2023.

He is survived by his children, Cody Everett Bowman (Heather), Jenna Kim Arrowood (Scott), Foley Ted Bowman II (Tessa), and Jessica Walker; his grandchildren, Gavin, Celia, Teddie, James, Tehya, Desmond, and Trinity; his one and only wife and mother of his children, Cindy Hill Bowman; his sisters, Lydia Shelton (Earl) and Bessie Comer; his sisters-in-law, Bisse Bowman, Rita Bowman, and Linda Snow; many, many nieces and nephews; and other kinfolk and seemingly endless cherished friends.

He has been reunited in death into the arms of his parents, Charlie Lee and Virgie Snow Bowman; his siblings, Benjamin Leard, Caroleen Leard Ledford, David Bowman, Byron Bowman, Thomas Bowman, and Samuel Bowman; and so many old friends he has been longing to see again.

Foley was a man of large stature, still his heart and personality were larger than life itself.  He never knew a stranger, which made him the life of the party in every room he entered.  He will be remembered as part man and part legend; we have never met a soul who knew him that did not have a good story to tell.  He claimed he had driven over 5 million miles under his belt as a truck driver, and the happiest place he could sit was behind the wheel of any fast car.  Once called a Mechanical Wizard, he was known as well for building his fast cars as he was for rolling them over.  He was passionate about VW Beetles, known as an air-cooled guru, and he was a diehard Chevrolet man, through and through.

He also loved music with a passion.  “Let me get in a chew of RedMan Golden blend to get that drive in me and we will get to pickin and grinnin!”  It was as natural and as important to him as breathing – “a family tradition that runs in the blood” he would say.  He played the banjo in the old-timey clawhammer style of his family, as well as guitar, and it was a joy if you could ever hear him sing.

No one else could make you laugh quite like Foley, and his laugh, stutter, mannerisms, and storytelling will be remembered and missed by all knew him.  He lived his life to the fullest, living as if any day could be his last.  God broke the mold when he made Foley Bowman, and there will not be another one quite like him.

If you have any photos, stories, or memories of Foley that you want to share with his family, you can email them to FoleyTBowman@gmail.com.  The family would love to hear from you.

In lieu of a funeral service, a celebration of his life and a West Lebanon Street reunion will be held Saturday, April 1, 2023, at Veterans Memorial Park, starting at noon and ending around 6:00 PM.  Words of remembrance and praise will take place at 3:00 PM, followed by an open mic for Foley stories for those that just must be shared.

Donations to his family to cover his final expenses can be made to Cindy Bowman (336-755-0102) or Ted Bowman (336-979-7007).