Tribute to our colleague Ghee Bowman
With great sadness we have to tell you of the death of Ghee Bowman on Saturday 10 May.
The hearts and thoughts of many people go out to Ghee’s family, his close friends, work, political and spiritual associates, and so many people who have connected with this remarkable man.
Ghee described himself as a ‘historian, teacher and storyteller’ but he was so much more. He was a ‘bringer together’ of people, ideas, actions for change, facilitator of groups, and a peacemaker. He was not deadly serious all the time, though he was utterly serious about important things. His playfulness showed he knew life is for living, and making connections with each other and the world we live in.
Living in Exeter since 1997, he was deeply involved in many activities, and he was a core person in DDE’s work over the last twenty years.
As the co-ordinator of the first DDE Telling Our Stories Finding Our Roots project in Exeter in 2012/13 he set the tone for this community approach to uncovering stories of the past in towns in Devon. Later projects covered Honiton, Ilfracombe, Bideford, Tiverton and Okehampton.
It was while working with DDE that the discovery of a photograph of Indian servicemen on a Devon beach with their mules during World War II propelled Ghee into historical academic work. This led to the publication of two books. His early death has interrupted an amazing productive life.
We will miss his inspirational leadership within DDE and we have Ghee as an inspiration to ‘keep our eyes on the prize’ in going forward.