In Memoriam

John Canada Bowen III

John Canada Bowen III, a vascular and gastrointestinal surgeon for over 42 years, died at home on May 13, 2013, just before our 50th Reunion, at the age of 72. 

Johnny had an extraordinarily successful career, serving with such distinction in the Army during the Vietnam War that he was awarded the Bronze Star.  He was the Chair of the Department of Surgery at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans from 1993 to 2002. 

In 2012, Ochsner presented him with its highest award, The Spirit of Leadership Lifetime Award.  He was also awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously by the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.  

He and his beloved wife Mimi lived in a fine house in New Orleans, where they welcomed visiting friends with lavish hospitality.

 

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At the Memorial Service at our 50th Reunion, his Whiffenpoof colleague Dan Rowland remembered him as follows: 

“Johnny ‘Slide Trom’ Bowen was a legendary member of the Whiffenpoofs of 1963.  Though he had no musical training, and tried out for the Baker’s Dozen by singing Elvis’ version of ‘Love Me Tender,’ Johnny had an absolutely sensational natural voice, singing the biggest solos for both the BDs and the Whiffs, most famously the Whiff arrangement of ‘Slap That Bass.’ 

If he was a stranger to the insular world of Yale singing, he was our portal to the wider world outside of Yale, where his strikingly handsome presence, self-confidence, and savor-faire impressed everyone he met, including most famously Princess Grace at a post-concert reception in Monaco. 

Johnny’s outsized and completely generous personality was an even greater contribution to our Whiff group than was his magnificent voice. 

As we gather for our 50th Reunion, Johnny’s so-recent death leaves a gaping hole in the hearts of all of his Whiff colleagues, our families, and all of his classmates.”

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