Nancy L. Bowers

Nancy Lee Bowers was born to Alex and Edith Whitt in Varney, West Virginia on March 2, 1936. A true daughter of a coal miner, she grew up in the backwoods of West Virginia near the Kentucky border in a one-room house with her parents and 7 siblings. Her family lived in Whitt Hollow (pronounced "Holler" by Nancy and her kin-folk), and her grandmother was a Hatfield (yes, of the "Hatfields and McCoys").

Nancy was the second to youngest of 8 children: Herbert Bruce, George Willis "Buddy", Ralph Dewey, Frank Forrest, Annarae (Smith), Donald Doris, and Frankie. Her childhood was marred by illness, as she suffered from rheumatic fever at 5 years old, and later a nervous system disease, which affected her health most of her life. Because of this, attending school regularly was a difficulty, but she still attended Varney Grade School and graduated from Magnolia High School in 1956. During those school years, one of the most influential circumstances in her life occurred when two missionary ladies came to her small town and started teaching Bible classes at her school. It was at that time at around 10 years old that she placed her faith in Christ, and began a relationship with God that would sustain and motivate her through the rest of her life.
After graduating, Nancy's father was suffering from emphysema from working in the coal mines, and the doctor's orders were either to get ready to die or move to Arizona. So Nancy moved across the country with her parents and some of her brothers to Globe, Arizona, later relocating to Phoenix. It was there that she went on a blind date with the love of her life, David Bowers, and within three months they were married, saying their vows to each other on July 25, 1959. The two held true to those vows, living as husband and wife for 59 years, finally being separated when Dave passed away in 2018.

In 1961, Dave and Nancy moved to Prescott, Arizona and established their life there together. They raised 4 children in Prescott: Daniel Bryan, Steven Douglas, Martha Ann, and Timothy Jay. Nancy was devoted to her roles of wife and mother, as well as being an active member at First Baptist Church of Prescott. She cared for her community, always ready to lend a helping hand to meet people's needs, and being a second mother to her children's friends. She and Dave also enjoyed being part of the local bowling league. When her children grew a little older, Nancy worked at Watter's Flower and Garden Center, and later purchased the business in 1983. She owned the renamed Prescott Flower Shop with her husband for 22 years, operating it herself until she became allergic to some of the flowers and had to step away from managing it. Nancy and Dave also took their aging parents in to live with them, caring for Nancy's Ma and Poppy, and Dave's dad until each passed away.

In later years as they became grandparents, Nancy and Dave bought an RV park in Black Canyon City, and lived there until it flooded in the early 90s. From there they moved to Spring Valley, then to Sun City for a span of several years, and finally back to the Prescott area to live close to children in 2015. Nancy became a grandma to five: Joshua Bowers, Matthew Bowers, Mariah Bowers, Kiah Borman (Schuler), and Isaac Borman. She was a wonderful grandma, always ready to watch the grandchildren and shower them with affection, play card games (with lots of patience), and share her endless supply of ice cream and other treats and sweets. Later, she got to show her love to seven great-grandchildren as well.

Nancy was, as many will testify, one of the sweetest ladies you ever could meet. She was known for her kind, caring, generous demeanor, and her desire to help every person she met that was in need. She was faithful to pray for people she knew and loved, people she didn't know, and the needs of the world. Nancy was characterized by love of family, visiting and communicating with relatives near and far, and keeping in touch with her roots. She loved gardening, her good ole southern gospel music, playing cards with her husband, and traveling. She and Dave enjoyed many trips in their RV to Alaska, Canada, and all over the US, until her health became such that she could no longer travel. Even though she suffered most of her life with illness and chronic pain, she almost never complained and was an example of perseverance, maintaining her joy in the Lord. In the last years of her life, she looked forward with excitement to going home to be with her Savior, and receiving a new body and eternal life in the presence of God.

Nancy's faith in Jesus Christ was the centerpiece of her life. In her own words, "Nothing would please me more than to leave this world knowing that I had shown the love of God through my life to people."