John O. Bowcock is a native of Clarksburg, West Virginia. He graduated from West Virginia University in 1937 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and majored in Economics and Business Administration. Following graduation he worked as an adjuster for the Commercial Credit Company in Fairmont, WV and then as assistant manager for the Personal Finance Co. in Morgantown. Mr. Bowcock was later hired by E. I. DuPont Company’s engineering department to assume the role as purchasing agent. His time with DuPont included working as purchasing agent for the Hanford Engineer Works, Richland, Washington, as part of the Manhattan Project of the War Department. In the Richland plutonium plant he supervised a large purchasing organization in plant site purchases through the Hanford office and through a branch office in Seattle, Washington for the construction of the engineer work. During his time with DuPont he also served as purchasing agent in Morgantown and as supervisor with the Wilmington, Delaware office.
He was married to Martha Gainer Bowcock of Fairmont, West Virginia and they had one son, Dr. John O. Bowcock, Jr.