Southlake, Texas – Whitney Richard Bowman, 41, died early Friday morning, April 20, in Grapevine’s Baylor hospital after suffering a sudden cardiac event. He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Brittanie Baldwin Bowman, and his six children: Eliza (17), Zack (16), Carter (13), Audrey (11), Stella (5) and Claire (5). He is also survived by his parents, Richard T. Bowman and Shellie W. Bowman, his brother, Richard W. Bowman (Lauren Martino) and his two sisters, Allison Ord ( Andrew R.) and Brooke Urry (Nathan D.). He was preceded in death by his son Jacob Baldwin Bowman.
Whitney was born August 20, 1976 in Ogden, Utah and raised in Kaysville, Utah; Los Angeles, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Houston and Plano, Texas. He graduated from Plano Senior High School in 1994 where he played varsity baseball and then attended Brigham Young University on a baseball scholarship. Whitney met his wife his senior year of high school when her family moved to Plano for one year. From 1995 to 1997 he served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kiev, Ukraine. He and Brittanie were married one year later in the Salt Lake City temple. After receiving a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 2006, he worked for Bain Capital for five years, before moving to Texas in 2011.
For the last five years as a Partner at Gauge Capital, he was instrumental in the creation and growth of the firm. Whitney always held himself and others to high standards, but did so with a warmth that made him both loved and respected by his colleagues. He had an unusual ability to form enduring relationships that enriched all those he touched.
While Whitney maintained meaningful relationships with many, he always placed the greatest importance on his relationship with his family. Whitney and Brittanie made marriage look seamless, born of their love for and devotion to one another. Whitney’s first concern was for Britt and her happiness. He helped in so many ways. There was nothing Whitney loved more than taking his family on a fun vacation, playing with them, watching them play sports, or sitting together on the couch just to hang out with them. He taught his children to always work hard, do their best, and be their best. He taught them compassion for others and was a champion of the underdog. Not only did he teach his children these standards, he upheld these standards himself. Whitney can have no regrets as a husband or father.
He was tender-hearted, quick-witted, analytical, and always had the right words to characterize any given situation. Whitney made any gathering fun. His extraordinary perception coupled with masterful articulation made for keen and very funny observations. He made people feel comfortable and valued and was sincerely interested in them and their lives. He had not an ounce of ill-will in his soul. Whitney took time to help those around him define and reach their goals, because he appreciated all that others had done for him and wanted to do the same for others.
Whitney had deep faith without being self-righteous and strong convictions without being judgmental. He served willingly and diligently in his church callings, which included Bishopric, Young Men’s President, and most recently as the Elders Quorum President. He loved working with the youth and has had a lasting impact on many.
From his first breath, he was extraordinarily inquisitive with a vision of the possibilities in life for himself and his family, and a willingness to do the work necessary to make those possibilities a reality. He made everyone around him better. His impact on his community, family, and friends was immeasurable and he will be dearly missed.
The visitation service will be held Thursday, April 26th from 7-9pm and a brief viewing will be held Friday April 27th from 11:30am-12:30pm for those traveling from out-of-town and unable to attend Thursday night, followed by a Funeral Service at 1:00pm. All services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 500 West McDonwell School Road, Colleyville Texas. A burial service will be held on Monday, April 30, at 11:00am at 500 East Crestwood Road, Kaysville, Utah.
