Helen Bowen

Helen W. Bowen WINDSOR - Mrs. Helen Lucille Wright Bowen, 78, passed away at 11:20 p.m. Nov. 1, 2009, at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C. She was predeceased by her husband and the love of her life, Mr. Daniel Ward Bowen Sr., Dec. 6, 2008. Since his death, she endured 11 months of declining heath. Lucille was born Aug. 24, 1931 to the late Kenneth Wallace Wright Sr. and Mary Broda Wright of Beaufort. Along with her two brothers, Kenneth Wallace Wright Jr. and the late Vincent Broda Wright, she grew up on the K.W. Wright Farms in Carteret County. She graduated from Morehead City High School as valedictorian of the Class of 1949. Lucille continued her studies at Duke University until her marriage to Dan, a chemical engineer student at North Carolina State University on Jan. 28, 1950. They were married for 58 years. The couple moved to Windsor where Dan joined his father's business, A.E. Bowen and Sons Wholesale Grocer. They were the parents of five children: Mary Joyce Brady (Karl) of Hartland, Mich., DiAnne Bowen of Windsor, N.C., Beverly Kirkman of Morehead City, N.C., Dan Bowen Jr. of Beaufort, N.C., and Dorothy Nance (Keith) of Raleigh, N.C. They had five grandchildren, Will Kirkman, Karl Lee Brady Jr., Mary Laurel Brady, Keith Nance Jr. and Hunter Nance. After the dissolution of the family business, A.E. Bowen and Sons Wholesale grocer, Dan and Lucille established the Dan Bowen Insurance Agency where they were both licensed underwriters. Besides spending many years as a dedicated wife and mother, Lucille volunteered her time as a president of the Home Demonstration Club, room mother, pageant mother, den mother for Cub Scout Troop 104, and 4-H adult leader. Lucille was instrumental in the early development of the Historic Hope Foundation. She served on county, district and state committees. Lucille was an excellent cook and liked sharing her sweet treats with neighbors and friends. She also enjoyed painting, sewing, gardening, and traveling both domestically and abroad and hosting numerous international exchange students in her home. Lucille was an active member of Cashie Baptist Church and its Women's Missions Union. She will be missed by those who were close to her. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Walker Funeral Home in Windsor. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Cashie Baptist Church, 221 S. Queen St., Windsor, NC. Flowers may be sent to Walker Funeral Home, 790 U.S. Highway 13 Bypass, Windsor, NC 27983. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Cashie Baptist Church, 221 S. Queen St., Windsor, NC 27983 or Historic Hope Foundation, 132 Hope House Road, Windsor, NC 27983. Online condolences may be sent to www.walkerfh.net.