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Celebrating the life of Nancy Thumma Bowles.
Agreed to by the Senate, March 10, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 12, 2026
WHEREAS, Nancy Thumma Bowles, who dedicated much of her life to serving her community and the Commonwealth, died on January 20, 2026; and
WHEREAS, born in 1930 and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Nancy Bowles attended the former Richmond Professional Institute, where she studied occupational therapy and trained to rehabilitate World War II veterans at what is today the Richmond Veterans Administration Medical Center; and
WHEREAS, Nancy Bowles was married to the late United States Air Force veteran and journalist George Ashby Bowles, Jr., with whom she traveled the world and made many lasting international friendships; and
WHEREAS, since 1971, Nancy Bowles was the steadfast steward of The Oaks, a 206-year-old home straddling the border of Goochland and Fluvanna Counties that is on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places; and
WHEREAS, Nancy Bowles carefully preserved The Oaks as open space by placing nearly 200 acres into a conservation easement, creating a welcome sanctuary for wildlife, birds, and a menagerie of many happy dogs; and
WHEREAS, Nancy Bowles served her community as chair of the Kents Store Agricultural Recreation Center, as program director of the Goochland County Historical Society, and as a member of what is today GoochlandCares, contributing to the betterment of her community; and
WHEREAS, Nancy Bowles served the Commonwealth as an appointee of the Board of Rehabilitative Services and the Board of Trustees for the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation; and
WHEREAS, an enthusiastic volunteer, Nancy Bowles took part in many federal, state, and local elections and for over 20 years served as chair of the Goochland Democratic Committee; as a member of the Democratic Party of Virginia's State Central Committee, she contributed greatly to the political fabric of the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Nancy Bowles' spirit of fun, laughter, and adventure will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her surviving sons, Jim, George, Mark, and Thomas; her seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Nancy Thumma Bowles, an outstanding citizen of the Commonwealth; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Nancy Thumma Bowles as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for her memory.