Maria Cavalleri Bowman died at Los Robles Hospital on March 11 from heart complications. Bowman’s children and grandchildren were with her at the time of her death.
Bowman was born in Goleta on July 21, 1925, and moved to Malibu with her family in 1942 to farm lima beans and other produce. They farmed throughout Malibu, including what is now Malibu Bluffs Park and Portshead Road — where they eventually settled and farmed their 20 acres. Portshead Road was renamed Cavalleri Road after Bowman’s brother Louie died.
Bowman married Charles Bowman in 1961, and they were longtime parishioners of Our Lady of Malibu Church. Bowman worked at Malibu Park Junior High School when it first opened and at the student store. She then worked as the bookkeeper for Our Lady of Malibu School until the early 1980s.
“She loved traveling the world and visiting her cousins in Legnano, Italy,” a loved one said.
Bowman’s parents, Inez and Enrico Cavalleri, her brother Louie Cavalleri, her husband Charles Bowman, her stepsons James Bowman and Edward Robinson, and her step-grandson Chris Bowman preceded her in death.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Chris Robinson; her daughter and son-in-law, Carla Bowman-Smith and Stan Smith; her grandchildren, Mark Robinson, Matthew Robinson, Stephen Smith, Mike Bowman, Mitchell Bowman, and Sandy Pervorse-Watson; and her great-grandchildren, Brooke Robinson, Shelby Watson, Alec Bowman, Selena Bowman, and Tyler Bowman.
Bowman will be laid to rest beside her husband at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.
A memorial service will take place at Our Lady of Malibu Church on Saturday, April 2 at
12 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bowman’s name to the Agoura Animal Shelter or a charity of your choice.