In addition to his wit, joy, kindness, and his passion for thecooperative movement, Thomas Bowen had a good sense of humor.

On Aug. 6, he posted a Facebook picture of him looking up at abronze statue of George Washington.

“I asked George what he thought about the 2016 election…Have youever heard a statue crumble?” Bowen wrote.

About two weeks after he made that FB post, Bowen, the former director of member relations at the NationalCooperative Business Association and a credit union executive,passed away of a cerebral aneurysm on Aug. 19.

He was 47.

Bowen started his credit union career in the early 1990's at the$468 million Envision Credit Union (then North Florida EducationCredit Union) in Tallahassee, Fla.

“We discovered Thomas' ability while he worked for a restaurantin the Duval Hotel when I and many of the staff would have lunchthere,” Ray E. Cromer, retired president/CEO of Envision CU,recalled. “Our credit union office was right across the street, soit was very convenient. He was always so positive with agreat customer service attitude that we eventually wooed him awayto work for us.”

Cromer said Bowen served the credit union in many positions from1995 to 2002, but he was most remembered for the successful launchof the credit union's call center.

“Most of all, we enjoyed his humor, broad smile, sincerepersonality and commitment to member service beyond expectation,”Cromer said.

Bowen also worked as a branch manager for the $1 billion ScottFederal Credit Union in Edwardsville, Ill., and later became acustomer service specialist for Charles Schwab. After that heserved as chief operations officer for the former KC CouncilsFederal Credit Union in College Park, Md., and then was appointedoperations project coordinators for the $120 million Money OneFederal Credit Union in Largo, Md.

After serving as a marketing director for Visions Ink Inc., hebecame a senior advisor to the CEO at the Washington, D.C.-basedNCBA in February 2013 and was named the organization's director ofmember relations in January 2014.

According to his obituary, Bowen donated his organs that savedseveral lives.

“We know you share in our sorrow, as so many of you countedThomas a friend, a colleague and a fellow cooperator,”Judy Ziewacz, president/CEO of NCBA, wrote in theorganization's newsletter. “But during this time of grieving,it's important to celebrate the life that Thomas led—full of humor,wit, joy and kindness—and the extraordinary impact he had oneveryone he met and interacted with.”

“To that end, NCBA CLUSA—or #workfamily, as Thomas would havephrased it—is privileged to announce a scholarship fund in hishonor to benefit Emerging Co-op Leaders, administered throughthe Cooperative Development Foundation” she wrote. “Thomas waspassionate about nurturing cooperative development. We are proud ofhis legacy and the relationships he cultivated as Director ofMember Relations for NCBA CLUSA.

Scholarship donation details will follow in this week's editionof CBJ Online.

Bowen is survived by his partner, Jay LeMaster of NorthBethesda, Md., parents, Edward (Sharon) Bowen, Spring, Texas., andbrother, Scott (Kaori) Bowen, Yuma, Ariz.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m. atSunset Memorial Services, 2659 Main Street, Whitney Point, N.Y.