Willie James Bowie
Willie James Bowie, 71 of Kansas City, Missouri, passed away Friday, December 22, 2017 at Research Medical Center. He was born November 19, 1946 in Oak Grove, Louisiana to the union of George Bowie, Jr. and Evelyn Henderson. He was their eldest of four children. Both parents and two sisters, Anna Bell Watson and Evelyn Joyce Smith, preceded him in death.
“James”, as he preferred to be called, graduated from Morehouse High School in Bastrop, Louisiana in 1964 where he competed in football, basketball and track. He attended AM&N College/UAPB in Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. While a student at AM&N he was also a member of the men’s basketball team. James also obtained his Master’s degree in School Leadership from then Central Missouri State University, now referred to as UCM in 1976.
James married Gwendolyn Mary Greenhouse, his loving wife of forty-nine years, in 1968. Unto this union was born daughter, Phyllis Andrea and son, Eric James. James was baptized and accepted Christ in his life at an early age. He regularly attended St. Louis Catholic Church.
James began his teaching career in the Kansas City Missouri School District in 1968 at Paseo High School as a physical education teacher. His coaching experience included football, track, being the head basketball coach for twenty-three years and the athletic director. He left Paseo High School and worked at the following schools as Vice Principal: East High School, Nowlin Middle School and Central High School. He later became the principal at Central High School. James retired from the KCMSD after thirty-two years and went on to work in the Hickman Mills School District as vice principal at Hickman Mills High School and Smith Hale Middle School for nine years before retiring again.
James loved to repair things and had a knack for that. James and Phyllis spent countless hours in the backyard building planters, tables and anything else that could be constructed from the pallets they found around the city. They even completed two remodeling jobs in her home. Remodeling the kitchen and the bathroom in Phyllis’ home gave him a sense of pride and accomplishment of something they completed together. James also enjoyed barbecuing and cooking on the grill.
James was a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity where he pledged in the Kansas City Graduate Chapter. On November 12, 2017, James was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame for his outstanding basketball coaching career for having over 400 wins. Additionally, he received several Coach of the Year awards and two Interscholastic League Athletic Director of the Year awards while working in KCMSD.
James would always say, “My biggest pride was the attempt to mold these young men to be ready for society, whether they went to college or the workforce.” In addition, he also had many surrogate daughters at all of the schools he worked at. Facebook was flooded with stories of how he changed someone’s life or helped them to work through life’s various situations. Not only did he help students and their parents, but he was also supportive of his family, friends, and neighbors. Many of these deeds we were unaware of until his passing.
James leaves to celebrate the life he lived: his wife Gwen; daughter Phyllis A. Bowie of KCMO, son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Suzane Bowie; four grandchildren, Alivia Noel Williams, D’Andre James McGee, Kiyan Isaiah Bowie and Harper Avery Bowie all of Missoula, MT; one sister, Mary Joyce Scott of San Diego, CA and a host of relatives, dear friends and former students.
“James”, as he preferred to be called, graduated from Morehouse High School in Bastrop, Louisiana in 1964 where he competed in football, basketball and track. He attended AM&N College/UAPB in Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. While a student at AM&N he was also a member of the men’s basketball team. James also obtained his Master’s degree in School Leadership from then Central Missouri State University, now referred to as UCM in 1976.
James married Gwendolyn Mary Greenhouse, his loving wife of forty-nine years, in 1968. Unto this union was born daughter, Phyllis Andrea and son, Eric James. James was baptized and accepted Christ in his life at an early age. He regularly attended St. Louis Catholic Church.
James began his teaching career in the Kansas City Missouri School District in 1968 at Paseo High School as a physical education teacher. His coaching experience included football, track, being the head basketball coach for twenty-three years and the athletic director. He left Paseo High School and worked at the following schools as Vice Principal: East High School, Nowlin Middle School and Central High School. He later became the principal at Central High School. James retired from the KCMSD after thirty-two years and went on to work in the Hickman Mills School District as vice principal at Hickman Mills High School and Smith Hale Middle School for nine years before retiring again.
James loved to repair things and had a knack for that. James and Phyllis spent countless hours in the backyard building planters, tables and anything else that could be constructed from the pallets they found around the city. They even completed two remodeling jobs in her home. Remodeling the kitchen and the bathroom in Phyllis’ home gave him a sense of pride and accomplishment of something they completed together. James also enjoyed barbecuing and cooking on the grill.
James was a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity where he pledged in the Kansas City Graduate Chapter. On November 12, 2017, James was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame for his outstanding basketball coaching career for having over 400 wins. Additionally, he received several Coach of the Year awards and two Interscholastic League Athletic Director of the Year awards while working in KCMSD.
James would always say, “My biggest pride was the attempt to mold these young men to be ready for society, whether they went to college or the workforce.” In addition, he also had many surrogate daughters at all of the schools he worked at. Facebook was flooded with stories of how he changed someone’s life or helped them to work through life’s various situations. Not only did he help students and their parents, but he was also supportive of his family, friends, and neighbors. Many of these deeds we were unaware of until his passing.
James leaves to celebrate the life he lived: his wife Gwen; daughter Phyllis A. Bowie of KCMO, son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Suzane Bowie; four grandchildren, Alivia Noel Williams, D’Andre James McGee, Kiyan Isaiah Bowie and Harper Avery Bowie all of Missoula, MT; one sister, Mary Joyce Scott of San Diego, CA and a host of relatives, dear friends and former students.