Edwin Turner Bowden

Edwin Turner Bowden, Jr., professor emeritus of the Department of English at the University of Texas at Austin, died Saturday, May 27, 2006. He was born June 5, 1924 to career army officer Edwin Turner Bowden and Allie Myrick Bowden, professor of education. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard and joined the Army Air Force in 1943, serving until 1946. He married Ann Haddon in Boston in 1948, and received his doctorate from Yale in 1952. He was recruited by Harry Ransom for the faculty of UT’s Department of English, where he taught until his retirement in 1994. For many years, he edited Texas Studies in Literature and Language and edited many publications for the Humanities Research Center. His early literary interests were Henry James and early American literary figures; later he developed an interest in bibliography and published bibliographies of James Thurber, Peter DeVries and Washington Irving. He married Mary Weatherspoon of Des Moines, Iowa, in 1970. He developed an interest in Central Texas fossils and, for many years, was secretary of the Austin Paleontologic Society. After his retirement, he developed an interest in Chinese art and artifacts, and volunteered at the El Buen Pastor food pantry. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and his children and grandchildren: Lee Ward, her husband Randy, and their children Stacey and Katie; Suby Bowden and her companion Bob Gaylor; Ric Bowden, his wife Paula, and their children Jeremy and Chase; James Bowden; Molly Scarbrough, her husband Jake, and their child Jude. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 31st at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. Graveside services for the family will follow at Austin Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the scholarship fund of the Austin Paleontologic Society, c/o John Hinte, 10962 Long Branch Dr., Austin, TX 78736, or to the charity of your choice. Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com