James Goodwin Bowden III of Vero Beach, Florida and Capitol Island, formerly of Weston, Massachusetts, died April 19,2015 after a long battle with cancer and dementia.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts on May 24, 1933 to James Goodwin Bowden II and Mildred Smith Bowden, Jim attended the Bancroft School and graduated from Deerfield Academy and Middlebury College. He attended Babson Graduate School and served in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant.

Jim was a lifelong summer resident of Capitol Island, in the Boothbay Harbor region, and with his loving wife, Mary, spent summers on the water pursuing his passion for sailing and celebrating life with family and dear friends. He always had a special twinkle and wink for those he loved, often referred to by friends as “Gentleman Jim.”

Jim was a business executive, beginning his career at Dewey and Almy, a division of W.R. Grace and Co, in research and development. He purchased a small business, Miller and Seddon Co., which he owned and operated for over a decade. Jim joined Rule Industries in Gloucester, Massachusetts before retiring to Stuart, Florida where he finished his career in real estate.

He was a former commodore of the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club in Boothbay Harbor and Circle Bay Yacht and Sailing Club in Stuart, Florida. Jim cared deeply about youth programs including sailing programs at BHYC and Little League baseball in Weston, Massachusetts, where he coached. Often Jim captured his family, friends, and pets with photography.

A loving husband, father and grandfather, Jim is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary Brown Bowden; his daughter, Kimberly Bowden Peckham; his son, James Goodwin Bowden IV with Joy Browning (a daughter-in-law to him); seven grandsons, Robin Alexander and Will Shallcross Peckham, James (J.B.), Tyler Harper, Chadwick Shallcross, Trey Michael and Chase Haley Bowden; four great-grandchildren, Lilli, Julia, Mason and Weston. Jim is also survived by his brother, Robert Lane Bowden, of Capitol Island and his wife Eleanor Davies Bowden, and six nieces and nephews: Bobby, Jonny, Molly, Diane, Rusty and Tracey.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Alzheimer’s-Dementia or Cancer Research at www.alzheimers.org or www.standup2cancer.org.

A private service will be held at a later date.

Online condolences may be made at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com