2005, Speech by Kathy Bowden. Award presented by Shielah Bowden
My brother, Tom Bowden, graduated from Glen Ridge High in 1983. He was only one year younger than me, so I was fortunate to share 3 years of high school with him. He was a friendly guy – the kind of guy who was popular because he was so nice you couldn’t not like him! Tom was involved in various activities during his years here – baseball freshman year, track team junior and senior years, a little bit of AV club… and a whole lot of time with friends!
If you had asked him back then, he probably would have told you that when he grew-up he wanted to be a sportswriter, or run a restaurant. We were all surprised when he ended up with a career in Finance.
Tom grew into a man I was always proud to call my brother - a man who knew how to live his life fully without sacrificing responsibility. A man who felt it his quiet duty to help out where needed. A man who surrounded himself with his friends and his family. Tom married the woman he loved, and had 2 beautiful daughters, the youngest born in August 2001.
Tom was working for Cantor Fitzgerald, at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
I know that he would like us to focus more on the way he lived – full of joy and love - rather than the way he died. So in the memory of that joy and love and sharing, I would like to introduce my mother, Shielah Bowden, who will present this year’s award.
