Eric Steven Bowman

Eric Steven Bowman, 54, passed away on August 24, 2018, after suffering multiple complications from acute pancreatitis.
Eric grew up in Stanton, California, moving to Cypress during middle school. He graduated from Cypress High School in 1983, earning letters in both football and wrestling. After high school graduation, he attended Cypress College and then earned his BA in English and his teaching credential from California State University San Bernardino, which he—with his trademark humor—referred to as "the Princeton of the West". He went on to earn his MA from Concordia University.
When Eric graduated from high school, he began working as a walk-on football coach at Los Alamitos High School. Once he earned his teaching credential, he set his sights on teaching English there. Ignoring advice to apply everywhere, he achieved his goal of teaching English and coaching football at Los Al. During his coaching years, the Griffins earned CIF Championships, even playing at Anaheim Stadium. He spent a year in Europe, coaching an American professional football team in Hanko, Finland.
Eric enjoyed teaching and connecting with kids. Gregarious and friendly, he knew lots of people, seeing people he knew wherever he went. Eric always had a smile on his face and was quick to laugh and make corny puns to amuse his kids. A faithful Christian, he was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Cypress. He played Little League baseball until high school and was a lifelong Angels fan. Eric enjoyed reading, cats and the Lupo's special.
The highlight of Eric's life, however, was meeting his wife, Jillian. They married on December 21, 2003, and these were the happiest years of his life. Eric so looked forward to becoming a father, and he was overjoyed at the birth of daughter, Mikayla, who is now 12. Twins, Ashlyn and Brady, 10, completed their family. Eric treasured his family life, giving up his beloved coaching when he became a father, because family came first for him. He loved spending time with them, taking them to practices and events, coaching their teams. During his long hospital stay, he most looked forward to getting back home to his family.
While Eric brightened so many days with his humor and upbeat nature, he leaves an unfillable void in so many lives and will be sorely missed.
Eric is survived by his wife Jillian Fleming Bowman; his children: Mikayla, 12, and Ashlyn and Brady, 10; his parents, Walter and Ethel Bowman; his in-laws, Bruce and Betty Fleming; sister, Elizabeth Ernst, and her children: Garrett, Nathan, and Allison; sister, Gretchen Bowman; brother-in-law, Rick and Michele Fleming, and their children, Nikki, Max and Phoebe Puerner and Summer Fleming; Aunts Helen Robinette, June Stokoe and Karen Teatum; Uncles Mike Bowman, Galen Bowman, Burke Robinette, Charley Stokoe, Clyde Fisher and Mickey Fisher; numerous cousins; and countless life-long friends including the Marks and Broussely families.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, September 1st, at 11:30 a.m., at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 4321 W. Cerritos Avenue, Cypress, California 90630. A luncheon will follow at the church parish hall.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made in Eric's name to the Los Alamitos Education Foundation After-School Enrichment Program (www.laef4kids.org).