Dr. Robert Lee Bowden, Jr., passed away Sunday, July 21, 2024 in Blacksburg at the age of 91.
Always a scholar, always reading, always learning, always teaching and always in a loving way. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Gail Bowden; son Todd Bowden of Blacksburg; and son Brent Bowden and daughter-in-law Crystal Bowden of Salem.
He was born April 10, 1933 in Paris, Tennessee and grew up in Murray, Kentucky where he always enjoyed playing basketball and competing with his friends to see who could be the best in everything from movie trivia to horseshoes. He graduated from Murray State in 1955, enrolling in 1957 at Virginia Tech as a graduate student and earning his M.S. and Ph.D in Physics. After graduation he was asked to join the faculty where he served for 35 years, always enjoying challenging his students. In 1968 he met his wife Gail and they spent a year traveling Europe and Asia where he taught for a year at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey.
He returned to Blacksburg where he continued to teach in the Physics department, being promoted to Full Professor and authoring numerous publications. He retired in 1997 as Professor Emeritus. In 2008 he established the Robert Lee Bowden Jr. Essay Prize to encourage and reward excellence in scientific writing. In his retirement he enjoyed working on his computer, cheering on the Hokie Football team and keeping up with the latest technology.
Service to be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to Robert Lee Bowden Jr. Essay Prize in the Department of Physics at Virginia Tech or the charity of your choice.
