Former WVU Football Captain Dies Just Shy of 63rd Birthday

The WVU football family lost one of their own this week. Former Mountaineer Tom Bowman died just a month shy of his 63rd birthday.

Based on a Facebook post shared to Bowman’s page, he died on Oct. 20 of heart and multiple organ failure.

One of College Football Hall of Famer and legendary coach Don Nehlen’s first running back recruits at WVU,  Bowman came to West Virginia after he earned 13 varsity letters at Notre Dame High School in Portsmouth, Ohio.

While he only receded 138 total yards during his college career, Bowman was selected by his teammates as one of WVU’s three captains for his senior season in 1984.

Bowman, who also played defense and special teams, is mostly known for helping force and recover the fumble that set up the game-winning touchdown of a last-second win over Boston College.

Decades after the end of his playing days, Bowman remained an important part of the West Virginia and Mountaineer community.

Bowman leaves behind his wife, Lisa; his stepmother, Yvonne; his sister, Teresa; his brothers, Phil and Lew; children, Abby and Ben; four granddaughters; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Nancy; his father, Lewis; and a nephew, Alexander.