As 2021 begins, another long UMBS career comes to an end. Karen Bowman, Building and Facilities Associate Supervisor, will retire at the end of January after 30 years on the job.

“I will be forever thankful for the opportunity to be part of history with the Biological Station,” she says.

Bowman, a Pellston native, has been keeping the classrooms, cabins, and lab space of UMBS spotless for decades. In typical fashion, she considers her “co-workers, friends, and the whole UMBS family” the greatest reward for all her hard work. They can attest that Bowman has never shied away from the necessary “dirty work” of the job -- like cleaning out the UMBS sewer lines, pictured below!

Longtime UMBS staff members (left to right) Tony Sutterley, Richard Spray, and Karen Bowman take on the dreaded UMBS sewer line, circa ‘94. Sutterley retired in 2018, Spray in 2020, and Bowman now in 2021.

 

Bowman’s friend and supervisor, Associate Director Karie Slavik, agrees:

“We should expect the spiders to move back in force when they realize that she will not be here to greet them this summer!”

In 2019, Bowman correctly guessed the date of "ice out" on Douglas Lake, an annual staff tradition. After nearly 30 years of guessing April 23 - her father's birthday - it finally came through!

“Karen is always thinking steps ahead of us,” Slavik adds. “All station residents have benefited from her careful consideration and efforts to make camp comfortable and welcoming inside and out. Thank you, Karen for sharing your easy laugh and smile with us every summer day.”

As for Bowman herself, she expects to “leave as quietly as [she] came in, all those years ago.”

“So many memories and so many people I have met in all the 30 years I have worked for the Bio Station!” she says. “Until we see each other again, best wishes to everyone.”