Gwendolyn Ellwen Bowen-Sherman

Our beloved Gwendolyn Ellwen Bowen-Sherman at 69 years of age transitioned to heavenly rest on Monday, January 27, 2025 at her home in Brandywine, MD with her husband Ronald at her bed side.

Gwen was born in Calvert County Maryland on September 22, 1955. She was the daughter of the late Ellwood Bowen Sr. and Vernice Thomas Bowen Custard.

Gwen was a woman of incredible resilience and grace. Even through her time of sickness she always managed to keep a smile on her face and kindness in her heart that she expressed towards others. She never let anything slow her down, including her continued learning of the things she so dearly loved. Gwen loved to dance, enjoyed taking trips to historical sites and museums, planting flowers, cooking for her family, and attending church as a devoted Christian and member of Joint Base Andrews Chapel 2 Protestant Traditional Worship Services. She was the caregiver for her wonderful mother Vernice. 

She was a firm believer in having an education and always kept herself informed on what she truly loved which was history and art. Gwen obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with honors from the Pratt Institute in NYC in 1979 and worked as an assistant to a textile designer. In 1982, she returned to Washington D.C. and worked as an administrative assistant for the Department of Defense until 1987. During this time, she married her husband Ronald Sherman who was currently in the Air Force, and they moved to Misawa, Japan where they resided for three years. Upon their return to Maryland, Gwen decided to return to school and she obtained a Bachelor of History degree from the University of Maryland in 1999. 

Gwen had such a deep passion for history and the arts that she would immerse herself in the details of specific historical eras. She obtained a position at the Institute of Museum services in Washington D.C. in 1993 as an administrative assistant, and was soon promoted to the position of Program Specialist. In addition, she also served the museum community as a volunteer for the Sackler and Freer Galleries of the Smithsonian Institution and became a member of the Smithsonian Institution Women’s Council. She also found time to work as a docent/tour guide for the Frederick Douglass Historic site from 1993-1996. She would move on to work as the Executive Assistant to the Director of Holocaust studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Eventually, she retired from the Holocaust Museum in October 2017. 

Gwendolyn is survived by her loving husband Ronald of 37 years, her mother Vernice Thomas Bowen Custard, her stepdaughters Cristina (Carl) Lane of NJ, Beverly Sherman and fiancé Aaron of CA, her grandchildren; Cynthia, CJ (Marissa), Chase and one great granddaughter Noelle, her sister Jennette "Connie" Gough, her niece Jynelle (Willie) Brown of MD, her nephew Nehemiah Gough of Australia, her brother Ellwood (Carmen) Bowen Jr, her nephew Ellwood Bowen III and niece Kayla (Andrew) of CA, and a host of other nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Gwen is preceded in death by her father Ellwood Bowen Sr.

Family and friends are welcome to gather at Lee Funeral Home, Inc., Clinton, MD, Thursday, February 6, 2025 from 1pm with funeral services beginning at 3pm. Burial will take place at Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Cheltenham, at a later date.