Susan F. Bowman was born in Peru, Indiana, and was proud of her Miami Indian heritage. She participated in the marching band, GAA (Girls Athletic Association), was a Gym Helper, and in 1963 graduated from Peru High School.
She graduated from Grace College in 1967. She participated in Basketball 4 years, Tennis 2 years, Intramurals 4 years, and was both the intramural and extramural director. After teaching at Michigan Center and Peru, she moved to collegiate coaching and teaching.
Sue was a professor of Physical Education at Indiana Wesleyan University. She taught health and physical education for 45 years (1970 to 2015), serving under six different presidents. During 42 of those years (1970-2011), she coached basketball, field hockey, softball, and track and field. For a number of years, she also served as assistant athletic director.
“COACH”
Sue was lovingly referred to by many as simply “Coach”. Her coaching history began one year after the adoption of women’s athletics at IWU, then Marion College. In her first year, she was head coach of women’s field hockey (1970-1991), volleyball (1970-76), and women’s tennis (1970). For one season in 1973-74, she coached the women’s basketball team and in the mid 1970’s assisted on the women’s track and field team. She was also an assistant coach for the women’s soccer team’s first season in 1992-93.
SOFTBALL
Sue became the head coach for the newly formed softball team in 1988-89, a position she held for 24 years. Under her watch, the IWU softball team won four MCC regular season championships (1989, 1992, 2005, and 2006). She was named MCC Coach of the Year, NAIA Region VIII Coach of the Year, and NCCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year.
Apart from the classroom and the sidelines, Sue invested countless hours in IWU student mission trips. Some of her fondest memories came from these trips where she traveled to Guatemala, El Salvador, Yucatan Peninsula, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic with eight athletic teams and two academic teams.
Sue was honored by the Grant County Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and was a member of the Inaugural Indiana Wesleyan University Hall of Honor class of 2017.
Outside of IWU, Sue was active in her local community. She served on the Board of the American Red Cross, the YMCA, and the Indiana Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. For years she was a Kids Hope Mentor. Her joy was spoiling the kids and helping them to read, do math, and socialize. She was active at College Wesleyan Church.
She is survived by a brother, Bill Bowman (Mary) of Peru; sister-in-law, Pat Moser; numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces/nephews; and several great-great-nieces/nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Rhea Bowman, and one brother, Larry Moser.
She will be deeply missed by her Roorbach family, her IWU Athletic Department family, Barbara Ihrke, and her cats, Charlie D. and Katie Jo.
Friends and family may attend the visitation at Needham-Storey-Wampner Funeral Service, North Chapel, 1341 N. Baldwin Ave., Marion, IN, on Friday, March 26, 2021, from 4-7 p.m.
A funeral service to honor Sue will occur at College Wesleyan Church, 200 E. 38th St., Marion, IN, on Saturday, March 27, 2021, at 11 a.m., with additional visitation one hour before. The service will be streamed at live.collegewes.com.
Memorial contributions may be directed to Kids Hope, c/o College Wesleyan Church or to Women’s Athletics, c/o Indiana Wesleyan University, 4201 S. Washington St., Marion, IN 46953.
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