Nancye Leona Bowman

Nancye Leona Bowman of Edinburg, left her human form and joined God's Eternity on August 10, 2012. She passed away in the house where she was born, in the presence of her loving family. Nancye was born August 5, 1925 on the family farm at Bowman's Crossing, daughter of the late Georgia Blanche Helbert and Marvin Whiten Bowman. She graduated from Edinburg High School in 1942. She attended Madison College after high school, leaving in 1944 to marry and raise a family. She later re-enrolled in 1954 to complete her Bachelor's Degree in Home Economics Education. After teaching for many years at area high schools, Nancye pursued a Masters Degree in Home Economics Education Supervision at the University of Maryland. She taught graduate classes at Madison College and was then hired as Head State Supervisor of Home Economics Education for Virginia where she initiated new Occupational Home Economics programs and curriculum and helped write and implement the Virginia Standards of Quality. In 1976, she left Richmond to work for the American Home Economics Association in Washington, DC as the Administrator for Professional Development where she managed the department and wrote and held national workshops in Parenthood Education and Women in Creative Leadership. After the death of her father, Nancye returned to the family farm in 1980 and concluded her career as Home Economics teacher at Stonewall Jackson High School. She served as Chairman of the Family Life Curriculum Development Team and helped write and mandate the FLEC on the state level. Her concern throughout her career was always for the well-being of children, their families, and teaching parenting skills to new mothers. She retired in 1987 and remained active in the community, serving on the Family Life Education Community Involvement Team and as Chair of the Shenandoah County Historical Society. She also served on the Shenandoah County Library Board of Trustees, the Edinburg Heritage Society Board, and the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival Board. At home she pursued her love of art, taking classes and becoming accomplished in oil painting. She enjoyed traveling with the love of her life Charles Cavagnaro, until his death in 1998. She is survived and will be greatly missed by her daughter, Donna Leigh Devier, of Edinburg, and her daughter-in-law Carolyn Whaley and husband Wendell of Fayetteville, NC. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Deborah Kidd Veitch and husband John of Edinburg; Dawn Devier, Tracey Hess and husband Wayne, and Dane Allen Devier, all of Fayetteville; her great-grandchildren, Maxwell and Jackson Veitch, Bradley Hess, Samantha Hostler and husband Darrin; and Dane Allen Devier III; and her great-great-grandson Darrin J. Hostler, Jr. She is preceded in death by her son Dane Allen Devier and brother William Byron Bowman. A Celebration of Life Service was held on Sunday, August 12 at 2:00 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church. Burial followed in Cedarwood Cemetery in Edinburg. Pallbearers were John Veitch, Jonathan Stapor, Kenneth Richman, Randy Kibler, Jerry Parsons and Wendell Whaley. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival or the Friends of the Shenandoah County Library.

Nancye Leona Bowman

August 11, 2012