Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Humiliatingly small and eclipsed by the derision of millions.

We can show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

I might just take the rest of the day off and do even more nothing than usual.

With all due respect and assumptions of good faith, please fuck off into the sun.

I swear, each month of 2025 will have its own history degree.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

A tremendous foreign policy asset… to all of our adversaries.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

Live so that if you miss a day of work people aren’t hoping you’re dead.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

How stupid are these people?

Since we are repeating ourselves, let me just say fuck that.

You are here: Home / Absent Friends / Sad news about debbie

Sad news about debbie

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Medium Cool – Equilibrium!

Sad news to share.

I believe that our debbie on Balloon Juice was this this Debbie L. Bowman.

Nothing would make me happier than to find out that this is not our debbie, but the timing fits; many of the details fit.

Our debbie’s last name was Bowman, and like the debbie in the obituary, our debbie worked in publishing in NYC in the 80s and 90s, she went to an all girls school, she liked the works of Mary Oliver.  Another Scott found an email message from July 7, 2022 where she tells us she had just gotten over a collapsed lung.

I haven’t been able to reach a family member to confirm that our debbie was this debbie, but I am as confident as I can possibly be without that.

Rest in peace, debbie.  We have been missing you!

debbie’s obituary.

Debbie L. Bowman
NOVEMBER 30, 1952 – JULY 24, 2022

Debbie Lynn Bowman was born on November 30,1952 and died July 24,2022 in Columbus, Ohio. Preceding her in death were her beloved parents Gus Karl Bowman Jr. and Evelyn Press Bowman.

Debbie had a highly sensitive and fiercely independent nature. She was a true introvert with a wicked sense of humor. Debbie inherited an affinity and talent for the fine arts through her paternal side and her strong opinions and baking skills from her maternal side.

Her dream was to be an illustrator for children’s books or work in publishing, which she accomplished working at Scribner Publishing in New York City in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s.

When Debbie moved back to Columbus, she used her many talents with local organizations and was deeply involved with her most cherished nieces and nephews. Debbie graduated from Columbus School for Girls in 1970, attended Pine Manor, graduated from CCAD.

Surviving Debbie are her brothers and their families: Gus Karl Bowman III (Sandy) Lauren, Gus IV and Gabriela; David Lewis Bowman (Sharon) David Jr and James; and James A Bowman (Tracey) Lindsay, Andrew and Caroline; cousins Julie Harmon, Molly Harmon Ruben, Kathy Harmon Shkolnik, Rocky Harmon, and Michael Bowman; friends Randi Stein Hutton and Jill Levy.

Her most precious possession at the time of her death was Mary Oliver’s “Devotions”. “…But here’s the kingdom we call remembrance with its thousand iron doors through which I pass so easily, switching on the old lights as I go—while the dead wind rises and the old rapture rewinds, the stiff waters once more begin to kick and flow.”

Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

debbie, it would be nice to think that you and the other beloved BJ peeps who have gone on before us are hanging out together in some way, somewhere.

Rest in peace, debbie.  You are loved.

 

Reader Interactions

59Comments

  1. 1.

    Yutsano

    I guess it’s at least possible, especially since she hasn’t come back from around that time. Well shoot. Goodbye debbie.​

  3. 3.

    FelonyGovt

    Aww, we’ve lost some good ones. May her memory be a blessing.
    I have a letter for my family with my wishes upon my demise (ex.: no religious service of any kind). I think I will add to it to direct them to notify BJ and one or two other social media sites where I’m a regular.

  7. 7.

    MomSense

    Thank you for posting this, Watergirl.

    As the surviving founding member of the yell at NPR in the car club I just want to say how much I miss you.  Your radio rants came from a good place, empathy and caring for others.  I hope you are at peace.

  8. 8.

    TBone

    She and I share a birthday with Mark Twain.  I don’t know if it’s wise to post that info but damn, here’s to you, Debbie, tho I didn’t know ye I hope you meet all your heroes.

    “I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835. It is coming again, and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don’t go out with Halley’s Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt, Now here are these two unaccountable freaks. They came in together; they must go out together.”

  10. 10.

    Baud

    Debbie had a highly sensitive and fiercely independent nature. She was a true introvert with a wicked sense of humor.

    That’s definitely consistent with our Debbie.

  19. 19.

    eclare

    Thank you for your persistence in finding this, WaterGirl.  Debbie is definitely missed, and 70 is way too young.

    RIP.  Many condolences to her family.

  24. 24.

    espierce

    @sab:

    It does sound like her and going to CSG for high school fits in her knowledge of the east side of Columbus; we discussed Rubino’s Pizza once and she certainly knew all about it.

    RIP, Debbie

  27. 27.

    Geminid

    This is very sad news. I was worried when debbie disappeared, and after some months I was pretty sure she had passed on but I am still sad to see this.

    I remember joking with debbie about the time change, on an April, 2022 Garden Thread. We also talked more seriously about Israel, and where we each would visit if we ever got to go there.

    Debbie was a true-blue Feminist, and when Ohio voters passed the abortion rights referendum last year I felt sorry Debbie was not here to celebrate with us. But maybe she was.

  28. 28.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Baud: I did something very similar when I had a major issue last year. Couple of weeks away from an anniversary of sorts, in fact.

  30. 30.

    Another Scott

    Thanks for solving the mystery for us, WaterGirl.

    She was a strong and important voice here.  It’s very sad that she’s really gone.  :-(

    Peace and comfort to all.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  33. 33.

    Tenar Arha

    OTOH I feel the hope this wasn’t “our” Debbie, but ditto re: may her memory be a blessing.

  34. 34.

    Elizabelle

    If this blog has taught us anything, it’s that you can’t take anyone for granted.  Person or pet.

  35. 35.

    Noskilz

    Sorry to hear that. Hopefully things will go as well as they possibly can for her friends and family.

  36. 36.

    Bex

    Each of us wears a shadow.

    But just now it is summer again

    and I am watching the lilies bow to each other,

    then slide on the wind and the tug of desire,

    close, close to one another.

    Soon now, I’ll turn and start for home.

    And who knows, maybe I’ll be singing.

     

    From “The Pond” by Mary Oliver

  39. 39.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    Rest in peace, Debbie. Thank you for this, WaterGirl. We all know it’s coming but the losses over the years still take a bit of a toll on the spirit.

  40. 40.

    Ohio Mom

    I have a vague memory that in debbie’s last comments, she hinted that something was not going right for her, that there was some trouble brewing. Then—poof—! It was so discombobulating to me, I felt a sort of comraderie as a fellow Ohioan.

    If I ever thought knowing what happened would somehow (I hate this term) bring closure, I was wrong, it just makes me sad in its finality. I hope she had a peaceful transition.

  41. 41.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    Rest in peace, Debbie. It was always a joy to talk to you and it was nice having a connection to a fellow Ohioan. I’ll miss you

    Thank you WG and Another Scott

  42. 42.

    CaseyL

    Damn. I really liked Debbie’s comments.

    Thank you for tracking down the information, WaterGirl.  When one of our people goes silent, it’s good to know what happened.

    Balloon Juice Motto: “Stay in touch.  We worry.”

    Ave atque vale, Debbie.

  44. 44.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @WaterGirl:

    I’m not sure we’ll ever know about Amir; I miss his presence.

    I miss Amir, too. He was in the hospital last we heard from him, wasn’t he?

  46. 46.

    TriassicSands

    Goodbye to Debbie. I am so sorry to hear this news. There aren’t enough good people in the world and the loss of one more is very sad.

  47. 47.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @WaterGirl:

    That is heartbreaking. I hope we find out what happened to him some day. I also hope the new kitty has a good home if the worst happened

  49. 49.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    To Debbie’s family, know that she is loved on this site and deeply missed.

    I thought about her a couple of times this week, after the special election and after the Super Bowl – how much I enjoyed communicating with her about sports (she was a devoted listener of sports talk radio) and how I hoped she would return to our community.

    She was a good egg.

  52. 52.

    SFAW

    I’ve missed debbie’s presence for a long time. I kept hoping she was just taking an extended break. I am so sad to see this, she was a person I enjoyed reading.

  53. 53.

    SFAW

    @WaterGirl:

    I apologize for my lousy comprehension/inference skills, but do you/we actually know that Amir has passed? Or are you/we just assuming it because he’s been away for so long?

    He’s another commenter I miss a lot. I can’t recall him ever being mean to anyone here, and I always enjoyed reading him.

  54. 54.

    WaterGirl

    @SFAW: I miss Amir terribly.  Sadly, we know nothing.  One day he was here, recently home from the hospital, and had just gotten a new kitty with a beautiful name.

    And then, nothing.

    I have Amir’s email address because he sent me photos of his beautiful kitty, Aoife.

    HIs last message to me was this, which I believe I shared along with the photos if Aoife:

    I’ve decided that Aoife is a butterscotch tabby. I think that’s the best description of her colour. (Check out those beautiful golden eyes.) She’s a delight to have around, most of the time.

    She’s mischievous, something of an escape artist, prone to zoomies when the mood takes her — which can happen at any hour of the day or night — and also very affectionate.

    She’s perfect.

  55. 55.

    WaterGirl

    @SFAW: Amir was smart, kind, interesting.  A wonderful person, a great writer.  There’s a reason everyone loved him.

    Amir had been gone for about 5 weeks, giving us a scare, and then he was back and with a new kitty.  It’s been more than half a year now, so I don’t hold out much hope that we will see him again.

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