In Remembrance of Bill Bowes: A Message from Suzy Delvalle

We were saddened to learn of the passing of William K. Bowes, Jr. in late December. A giant in the venture capital field, Bill Bowes was a founding partner of U.S. Venture Partners, a prominent Silicon Valley firm. He was also a founding member of the Creative Capital board of directors. Additionally, he served as a trustee for a number of research and education oriented nonprofit institutions, including the Exploratorium: Museum of Science and the University of California, San Francisco Foundation.

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When I reached out to Creative Capital’s Founding President & Executive Director, Ruby Lerner, to let her know this sad news, Ruby shared this beautiful remembrance:

“Bill was one of my treasured mentors at Creative Capital, and his fingerprints are quietly all over the design of the organization. Bill was one of the people I went to for advice on getting our model of support right. He had such clarity and wisdom. I saw him on all of my trips to San Francisco–as busy as he was, he always found the time to meet with me. He was so generous, and one of the most gentle and genteel people I have known. I feel so fortunate that Creative Capital gave me the opportunity to benefit from his always sage advice.”

Creative Capital Board Chair Stephen Reilly similarly reflected on Bill’s quiet demeanor, generosity, and wisdom:

“When Bill Bowes attended our West Coast board meetings, two things were clear: few members of any board know how to add as much value with so few words, and Creative Capital still embodies not just the generous spirit of our Founding Director Ruby Lerner but also the spirit of founding board members like Bill, who was gentle, encouraging, and wise. Creative Capital will continue to reflect those gifts, and we will work to honor his generous legacy.”

You can read more about the life of Bill Bowes here and here. You can view his memorial website with information on where to send donations here.
We are eternally grateful to Bill for his generosity and his 17 years of service. He will be missed.


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