Obituary for Mr. Robert Lee Bowman, Jr.

Robert Lee Bowman, Jr., affectionately known as “Bob” was born April 10, 1984 to Bobby D. Bynum and Robert Lee Bowman, Sr. in Belleville, Illinois. He was reared by his loving mother and step-father, Ronald Bynum.

He was baptized at St. Peter Missionary Baptist Church in Yazoo City, Mississippi on July 30, 1993 by his great-grandfather, the late Rev. E.C. Williams, Sr. In 1994, he joined Connor’s Temple Baptist Church under the tutelage of the late Rev. Dr. Bennie R. Mitchell, Jr., where he served faithfully as a member of the Bennie R. Mitchell, Jr. Youth Choir, the Brotherhood Ministry, and a founding member of the Junior Deacons Ministry until he moved away for college. Robert was an avid participant in the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc. Congress of Christian Education and Youth Convention. There he studied God’s Word spiritually and grew as a Christian. His final church home was Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia where he participated in the Men’s Conference Choir.

As an Air Force military brat, Bob began his formal education at King’s Trail Elementary in Jacksonville, FL. In 1992, he relocated to Savannah, Georgia, where he matriculated through the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. He was a proud 2002 graduate of Alfred Ely Beach High School. During his time in high school, he served as President of the Future Business Leaders of America and a member of Jobs for Georgia Graduates Program. His spirit of civic engagement began as a teenager when he was selected to serve as “Mayor for a Day,” by former Savannah mayor, the late Honorable Floyd Adams, Jr. Robert was also a member of the Savannah Chapter of Top Teens of America.

Bob became an Albany State University (ASU) Golden Ram in August 2002. As a student leader, he was President of the Student Activity Advisory Board (S.A.A.B.), a member of the Anointed ASU Gospel Choir, Black Intelligentsia, P3 Student Leaders, Student Government Association, chair of the ASU Relay for Life Team, and a participant with Habitat for Humanity. He was a Fall 2003 initiate of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Delta Delta Chapter. Robert earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Middle Grades Education in December 2007, and began his elementary education career in the Dougherty County School System in Albany, Georgia. In 2010, he received a Master of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision from ASU.

Upon relocating to Atlanta, Bob changed the direction of his career path from elementary education to youth development. The combination of his dedication to education, work experiences at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta and fervor for mentoring led him to develop and become the founder and CEO of Project M.A.L.E. (Mentoring Adolescents to Lead with Excellence), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Robert’s primary mission in life was to teach others to always “Dream Big, Fly Far, Give Back, Achieve More.”

His memory will live on through his mother, Bobby D. Bynum; father, Robert L. Bowman, Sr. (Jacksonville, FL); step-father, Ronald Bynum (Memphis, TN); significant other, Deria D. Dimmock; siblings, Marlin Bowman (Arlington, TX), Kendrick Williams (Jacksonville, FL), Avis Bowman and Derrick (Natalie) Bowman (Fairland, IN), Trina (Billy) Fairley (Indianola, MS), Angelica Payne (Kansas City, MO), Romaro Willilams (Ellenwood, GA), Dontonio Bowman, James Bowman, and Brandon Bowman (Jacksonville, FL); aunts & uncle, Deberry Smith and Contura (Darling) Parker (Jacksonville, FL), Kimberly Lawrence (Memphis, TN), Carolyn Luke (Greenville, MS), Latasha Myles and Jermaine Myles (Jacksonville, FL); mentee, Nathaniel Mitchell, Jr.; best friend, ZaDonna M. Slay (Rock Hill, SC); special brothers, Calvin Askew (Rome, GA), and Allen Cooley; the brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Grissom-Clark Funeral Home www.grissom-clarkfh.com