Jim was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Bryan and Ruth Bowes. He attended St. Brendan elementary school and Matignon High School, where he was a star tight end on the football team and earned a football scholarship to St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia.
Following college, Jim joined the research and development team at the Polaroid corporation where he worked for several years before being tapped to join Polaroid’s international sales and marketing staff. He traveled the world extensively in his job securing contracts for the company’s unique anti-counterfeiting device with high-end manufacturers of liquor, sports equipment, fashion and electronics.
In 1970 he married Elizabeth (Betty) Kenney whom he met on a cruise to Bermuda. They settled in the town of Norfolk, MA, and lived there until both retired from corporate life and moved to Arizona in 1993. In their semi-retirement, Jim owned a snack food company and sold real estate, and Betty started a freelance writing business. Once completely retired they built a home in the Superstition Mountains of AZ and traveled the world together on multiple cycling and skiing adventures.
If Jim wasn’t biking or skiing, he was playing golf, bowling, enjoying gin rummy games with friends, and watching NFL football as an especially avid fan of the New England Patriots. Jim was also a veteran who served 6 years in the Army National Guard.
Jim leaves his wife Betty and a shipboard romance that lasted 55 years. He also leaves two sisters, Michelle Bowes and Ruth Rokus, both of Massachusetts.
Jim would like nothing better than to have donations made to the Mayo Clinic in his name to help further their amazing research and development efforts in the prevention and cure of the world’s leading health problems.
A celebration of life will be announced shortly.
Sending love and prayers to you and your family.
Celebrating 75 years of serving our community
Sending love and prayers to you and your family.