Dr. Charles Daniel Bowman
Dr. Charles Daniel Bowman (Charlie), 87, of Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Callaway, Virginia, passed away on Palm Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, after having several strokes.
Charlie was preceded in death by his parents, Stover Daniel Bowman and Fanny Flora Bowman, his wife, Nona Bondurant Bowman, sister Norma Bixler and husband Russell Bixler, sister Mary Sue Smith, Ray Cannady, brother-in-law. He is survived by daughter Brenda Herbert (Pat) of Raleigh, N.C., son David Bowman (Geralyn) of Farmington, New Mexico; grandchildren Lindsey Gresock (Nick), Parker Yingling, Josephus Bowman, and Sheryne Bowman; great-grandchildren Gavin and Charlotte Gresock; sister, Janet Cannady of Springfield, MO., brother-in-law, Gene Smith of Smithfield, Va.; special friend, Rebecca E. Ross of Roanoke, Va., special cousin, Laird Bowman and wife Sarah Ann of Boones Mill, Va., and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Charlie graduated from Jefferson High School in Roanoke, Va., attended Bridgewater College for 2 years, and graduated with a B.S. in Physics, (Magna cum Laude) from Virginia Tech in 1956. He earned a Ph.D. in Neutron Physics from Duke University in 1961.
In 1961 he joined the electron linac group at Lawrence Livermore National Labs in California constructing accelerator-based facilities for neutron physics. His research there led to his recommendation by Edward Teller as a Fellow of the American Physical Society. In 1972 he joined the National Bureau of Standards in Washington, D.C. as Chief of the Nuclear Sciences Division. In 1981 he received the IR-100 award for the development of resonance neutron radiography and in 1982 was honored with the U.S. Department of Commerce Silver Medal. In 1982 he joined the Physics Division of the Los Alamos National Labs as Associate Division Leader for Basic Research and was Construction Manager for the world’s most powerful pulsed slow neutron research facility LANSCE. In 1990 he began with colleagues the development of technology to enable destruction of nuclear waste, and subcritical technology that makes Chernobyl-like explosions impossible. He was honored as a Los Alamos National Laboratory Fellow for his leadership in the 1985-1992 period.
Dr. Bowman worked in France for 3 years with the French Atomic Energy Commission to help set up their nuclear reactors. He led Project 17 for the State Department and International Science and Technology Center to employ over 500 Russian nuclear scientists after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He had several patents and had filed a patent in 2021 to burn up nuclear wastes. He was known among his circle of physicists as the man “who stopped Yucca Mountain” from storing nuclear waste. He had published over 150 papers in nuclear physics and was a member of the American Nuclear Society, the American Physical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He mentored many young physicists who worked with him. His work took him to countries around the globe.
He spent many summers as a child growing up at Camp Bethel, where his father was Camp Director for 25 years. Charlie was a member of the Church of the Brethren, and enjoyed helping students financially so they could attend Camp Bethel, Bridgewater College, and ministerial school for future Brethren ministry.
Charlie loved opera, classical music, organ music, travel, gardening, and working on his farm. He and Nona enjoyed many summers at Kiawah Island with the Crawford family and friends. When living at Los Alamos he and Nona attended the United Church of Los Alamos where he sang in the choir. They enjoyed the art of Santa Fe and Taos and the Native American rugs and paintings as well as the Santa Fe Opera. Charlie was a big supporter when Nona, his wife of 60 years, won election to the Los Alamos city council.
His memorial service will be held 3:00 pm Saturday, June 24, 2023 at the Antioch Church of the Brethren, 2996 Callaway Road, Rocky Mount, Virginia. In lieu of flowers please consider contributions to Camp Bethel or Bridgewater College.
Funeral arrangements by Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center, 665 S. Main Street, Rocky Mount, Virginia.
