MARY LEO BOWERMAN

Mary Leo Bowerman passed away Saturday, August 21, 2005. A celebration of life will be held in Mitchell Canyon, Mt. Diablo State Park, Clayton on Sunday, October 9, 2005 at 2:00 pm.

Mary Leo Bowerman was a Fellow of the California Native Plant Society, a life member and long-time member. Dr. Bowerman's work acquiring land in the Mount Diablo vicinity has resulted in preservation of a great deal of plant community and species protection. Her work on Mt Diablo's flora published in 1944 was such a standby for East Bay Chapter members that we continued to press for an update. The Flowering Plants and Ferns of Mount Diablo California, by Barbara Ertter and Mary L. Bowerman, was published by CNPS in 2002. Dr Bowerman's passing is a loss to the plant loving community, but her legacy remains in her scholarship and the vast open spaces preserved through her efforts.

Obituary and Interview (PDF, 157k)