Who is JD Vance’s father and is he still alive? All about Vice President’s troubled relationship with dad Donald Bowman

On January 20, 2025, JD Vance was sworn into office as President Donald Trump’s Vice President. Vance was joined by his wife, Usha, and mom, Beverly Aikins during the swearing-in ceremony. JD Vance's mom who struggled with substance abuse issues marked her 10-year anniversary of sobriety this year.

Beverly Vance, who first welcomed his sister Lindsay in 1979, gave birth to JD Vance in 1984. Vance has been open about his fraught relationship with his parents, including his dad, Donald Bowman who reportedly walked out on the family, leaving him to his mother’s care when he was a toddler.

In his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy, JD Vance revealed he was placed in the care of his grandparents, James and Bonnie Vance, due to his mom’s substance abuse and addiction issues. His mom, who worked as a nurse, began abusing prescription medication.

Vance also revealed a few years after Donald Bowman left the family, Vance’s mother reportedly informed him of a divorce, saying he’d never see his biological father again. Vance was reportedly 6 years old when his parents divorced.

Donald Bowman, who ran a construction business, Bowman Construction & Excavating, for 30 years, died in 2023. He was 64 years old.

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Donald Bowman and JD Vance reconnected in his teens

According to Vance’s memoir, his parents Donald Bowman and Beverly Vance married in 1983. After the couple divorced, Vance's mother married a man named Bob Hamel. Shortly after, Vance’s father reportedly gave him up for adoption. In his book, Vance wrote:

“Dad gave me up for adoption when I was 6. After the adoption, he became kind of a phantom for the next six years. I had few memories of life with him.”

Vance added:

“I found it so shocking that he ‘didn’t want me anymore,’ as Mom and Mamaw told me. He had a new wife with two small children, and I’d been replaced.”

According to the obituary, Donald Bowman married the love of his life, Cheryl (McCarty) Bowman in 1988. Bowman had five children, including JD Vance. The children’s names were listed as follows:

“Ryan (Tara) Green, of Celebration, Florida; JD (Usha) Vance, Cincinnati, Ohio/ Washington DC; Cory (Jordan) Bowman, Cincinnati, Ohio; Chelsea (Jacob) Deal, Hanoi, Vietnam; and Nikki (Jason) McCarty Beedlow, Mulberry, Florida.”

Vance revealed after he reconnected with his father in his teens, he discovered his dad had initially fought for custody. However, due to a bitter custody battle, Bowman decided to give up his son for adoption as “custody war was destroying” him. Vance said after reconnecting with his dad and hearing his side of the story, their relationship improved over time.