Richard E. Bowers

Richard E. Bowers, cherished husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend, passed away peacefully on January 16, 2023. He was 75 years old. 

Rich was born in Brooklyn, NY on March 17, 1947 to Florence and Richard H. Bowers and grew up on Birs Avenue in Lindenhurst. He married the love of his life, Janice, on August 17, 1974 in West Babylon. Rich and Janice built their life together and raised their family in Sayville.

Rich was a devoted and loving husband to Janice for 47 years until her passing. He adored his children, grandsons, sister, and nephew.  He loved a good family gathering and raising a glass of his “bathtub blend” of wine, which he crafted himself in his basement. Rich would sometimes subject the finest of these bathtub blends to blind tastings against wines produced by more established California and French makers. The results were mixed.       

Rich was a beloved high school science teacher in the Sachem Public School District for 34 years until his retirement in 2005. His Sachem teaching colleagues became lifelong friends. 

The Great South Bay was Rich’s playground.  By the time he was 20 years old, Rich had purchased his first clam boat and was digging clams on the bay – an occupation he continued during school breaks, including summers, long into his teaching career. Rich even went on to obtain his U.S. Coast Guard Captain's License and ran fishing charters out of Captree State Park cementing his nicknames “Captain Rich” or, simply, “The Captain.” 

In retirement, when not on a fun adventure with Janice, there was a decent chance you’d find The Captain fishing or shooting over par on a local golf course with his many buddies. Rich and those buddies also enjoyed regular breakfasts and card games. 

Rich is survived by his children Tim (Kristin) and Kerrin (Stanley); his grandsons Miles and Theodore (to whom he was affectionately known as “GP”); his sister Jane Baumgarten (Jack, deceased); and his nephew Thomas Baumgarten (Alexander).

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Rich’s honor to Save The Great South Bay, a non-profit that actively works to restore the bay he loved. Donations may be made online at https://savethegreatsouthbay.org/.