Lawrence Bowles

Larry Bowles, a maritime lawyer and respected leader in the international maritime law community, was born on March 7, 1937, in Jersey City, N.J., and raised in Clifton, N.J. He died peacefully at home in Mattituck, on Feb. 2, 2026, after a brief illness.

Mr. Bowles attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point from 1955 to 1959, graduating with honors. He remained closely connected to the Academy throughout his life, providing legal counsel, organizing class activities, and supporting fellow alumni. In recognition of his longstanding commitment, he received several honors from the Alumni Association, including a lifetime achievement award.

While at Kings Point, he met his future wife, Peggy, at a dance. Following graduation, Mr. Bowles received a Naval commission and served for three years aboard destroyers. He and Peggy were married in 1961 at St. Robert Bellarmine Church in Bayside, N.Y.

Mr. Bowles later accepted a commission to teach navigation at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. During this period, he attended Georgetown University Law Center in the evenings, earning his law degree while serving on active duty.

After completing law school, Mr. Bowles and his wife returned to New York, where he joined the Manhattan law firm Kirlin, Campbell & Keating and began his career in maritime law. His practice took him around the world, representing clients throughout the international shipping industry.

In 1982, Mr. Bowles and close colleagues founded Nourse & Bowles, a boutique maritime law firm. He became a widely respected figure in maritime law, known for his judgment and leadership. He was an active member of the Maritime Law Association, serving on its Board of Directors and numerous committees. He also served as general counsel to, and as a member of the Board of Directors of, the American Club, a shipowners’ mutual insurance association.

In 1998, Mr. Bowles and his wife began dividing their time between Manhasset and Mattituck. They were longtime members of Island’s End Golf Club. Mr. Bowles was also a member of the American Legion and Sacred Heart Parish.

Mr. Bowles is survived by his wife, Peggy; his four children, Jean Bolger,
Jim Bowles (Martha), Megan Bowles (Alfred Levitt), and Nora Bowles and his 5 grandchildren, Maddy Bowles, Clare Bowles, Maggie Bolger, Jacob Levitt, and Mairead Levitt 

Mr. Bowles was predeceased by his two sisters, Rosanne Bowles and Mary Ellen Grunewald.

Donations in Mr. Bowles’s memory may be made to USMMA, Kings Point, N.Y., East End Hospice or American Legion. 

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