IN REMEMBRANCE : Joseph Bowling , MD August 11 , 1938 - October 20 , 2023
Dr . Joseph R . Bowling passed away on Oct . 20 , 2023 , at the age of 85 . He was born in New Hope , Kentucky , one of 11 children . He liked to remind people he was from Kentucky ’ s Holy Land 1 which was fitting since he considered entering the seminary to become a priest before he realized his true calling was in the medical profession as a physician . It would be there that he would minister to his patients , or his “ flock .”
Joseph was the first from his hometown to go to medical school and was in the first graduating class at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in 1964 . He then attended residency at Dayton before serving in the Army during the Vietnam War performing physicals for Army recruits in West Virginia .
In 1967 , he joined a family medicine practice with his former classmate and fellow resident at Dayton , Dr . Michael Peveler . They had a friendship and practice that lasted over 50 years . That first office on South Preston Street was next to Zanzabar , a neighborhood bar . Joseph would joke that patients would sometimes have a beer waiting next door for their appointment . Waiting was something patients had to do , but Joseph was the kind of doctor patients
didn ’ t mind waiting on . His patients knew they were going to get high-quality care and expert-level compassion . He was well-known and admired for his empathy and caring .
Joseph was deeply devoted to his Catholic faith as a member of St . Martin of Tours and his support of the White Mass for those in the medical profession . He was a devoted husband and father . Dr . Lynn Womack will always treasure the effort Joe made to make him feel welcome when he moved to Louisville to join the practice , often inviting him over for dinner many nights those first couple of years .
Although Joe retired nearly 12 years ago , I can honestly say not a week has gone by without a patient asking how he was doing . All of us at the office hope that we are kind and compassionate and impact the lives of those we treat , but we all know that we all took a back seat to Joe in that area .
He will be missed by all who knew him . Joe , you ran the race well .
1
The Holy Land is a Louisville nickname for the area near Bardstown , including Nerinx , Kentucky ( Sisters of Loretto motherhouse ), Nazareth , Kentucky ( Sisters of Charity motherhouse ) and the Abbey of Gethsemane ( which was first built by the Sisters of Loretto as a school , in 1818 ).
- John Markert , MD , with the help of Michael Peveler , MD and Lynn Womack , MD
Dr . Bowling was a GLMS member for 55 years .
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