One of the Hunter’s longest serving Labor party members, Donald (Don) John Bowman, has died after a short battle with cancer.
Bowman, a teacher turned politician, served on Lake Macquarie council before moving into state politics, winning the seat of Swansea from 1981 to 1988, and again from 1991 to 1995.
Federal Member for Shortland, Jill Hall, who succeeded Mr Bowman in Swansea in 1995, said she regarded the 76-year-old as a father.
“He was the most generous person I’d ever come across,” she said.
“I lost my father and he was the perfect mentor. If ever I needed to discuss anything, Don was always available.
“He did things at a community level in a way that wasn’t public – he did it because he believed in it.
“He had strong values of friendship and kindness.”
Mr Bowman joined the Labor Party in 1965.
He lost the state seat of Swansea to the late Ivan Welsh in 1995, after what some political commentators described as a backlash over the Swansea Bridge.
“Sections of the community wanted a high-level bridge,” Hall said.
“All these years later and it’s still the same.
“He was a person totally committed to the party and the movement.”
Mr Bowman was diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the gall bladder in August last year.
He died in hospital this morning.
He’s survived by wife Maggie, and his daughters Kellie, and Zoe.
