Feb 13, 2018

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Donald Eugene “Gene” Bowman, 88, of Canonsburg, passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 13, 2018, in Canonsburg Hospital.

He was born August 23, 1929, in Meyersdale, a son of the late John Henry and Cora Hoffman Bowman.

On August 27, 1977, he married his beloved wife, Audrey Abood Bowman, who survives.

Mr. Bowman retired from United Steel Workers in 1991 as director of contracts.

He was a graduate of Canonsburg High School and Waynesburg College. He taught math and English at Cecil High School and Canon-McMillan High School, and he was a guidance counselor at Chartiers-Houston High School. He also coached wrestling at all three schools and was a longtime “ambassador of high school wrestling.”

Mr. Bowman was not only an outstanding wrestler, coach and referee; his name was well-known throughout the United States high school wrestling community as a man with a passion for wrestling. He was a four-year wrestling letterman at Canonsburg High School, undefeated in regular season competition during the 1945, 1946 and 1947 seasons. He was a three-time WPIAL champion: 112 pounds in 1945, 120 pounds in 1946 and 1947, and a PIAA runner-up at 120 pounds. His overall high school record was 96-9 for a winning percentage of .914. In addition to his high school record, he was a five-time AMA-AAU champion and a 1947 National Junior AAU Champion.

His wrestling coaching career started as head coach at Cecil High School in 1957-58. He was assistant coach at Canon-McMillan High School from 1959 to 1965 and head coach at Chartiers-Houston High School from 1965 to 1969. He was a PIAA official for many years.

Mr. Bowman was the executive director of the prestigious Press Old Newsboys Wrestling Classic-Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, pitting the best of Pennsylvania versus the very best high school wrestling seniors in the United States from 1975 to 1999.

He was a member of the outstanding 1947 Canonsburg High School wrestling team that was inducted into the Washington/Greene Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 1994, and was also inducted individually in 2006. He was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame, Class of 1989. He also was a member of Canon-McMillan Hall of Honor in 2014.

Mr. Bowman had many hobbies which included golf, hunting and scholastic wrestling, but above all, spending time with his loving family and friends.

Surviving, in addition to his wife, are his children, Marsha Bowman, Darla (Eddie) Monaco, John (Christine) Bowman, Mark (April) Gross, Jeff (Mary Ann) Gross and Michele (Scott) Pennine; grandchildren Zachary (Kaitlen) Bowman, Jared (Alex) Bowman, Joshua Gross, Maria (Tim) Gray, Jonathan (Brooke) Gross, Ashley (Jordan) Batt, Michael Gross, Matthew (Kelly) Gross, Jaclyn Gross and Ava Bruschi; great-grandchildren, Jeremiah, Mark, Greta, Eleanor, Veronica and Joshua; and many nieces and nephews.

At the request of the deceased, viewing, services and entombment are private. Arrangements are entrusted to Salandra Funeral and Cremation Services Inc., Joseph P. Salandra, owner/supervisor, 304 West Pike Street, Canonsburg, 724-745-8120.

Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.

To view or leave condolences, visit www.salandrafunerals.com.