CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — A viewing and funeral were held Friday as loved ones and members of the community say their final goodbye to Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen, who police said was fatally shot by her husband earlier this month.
WATCH CELEBRATION OF LIFE LIVE BELOW:
The vice mayor was honored in a procession, with Coral Springs police and Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies leading the way as the community came together to remember her life.
The viewing, which was open to the public, began at 11:30 a.m. at the Church by the Glades in Coral Springs.
A celebration of life was then held at 12:30 p.m.
“The city encourages all who wish to honor Vice Mayor Metayer to do so not only in remembrance but by carrying forward the values she embodied, uplifting others, making space at the table, serving with compassion, and working toward a more sustainable future,” city officials said in a news release.
On Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered that all flags in Tallahassee and Coral Springs be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Friday in honor of Metayer Bowen.
The vice mayor’s husband, Stephen Bowen, 40, faces first-degree murder and evidence tampering charges after being captured in Plantation.
He is accused of shooting Metayer Bowen inside their Coral Springs home, where Metayer Bowen’s body was found on the morning of April 1 wrapped in a comforter and garbage bags. She was 38 years old.
Those close to her say that if there were signs of trouble, she kept them private.
“What we see is the escalation happens between rounds of these different incidents of abuse, so the quicker we can get law enforcement to the scene to understand what the issue is, the more seriously we can deal with the perpetrator and the abuser,” State Sen. Alexis Calatayud said.
“She was the best of us,” said an attendee at the memorial. “Kind, brilliant, graceful, dignified, and that beautiful smile — this is our Nancy.”
Lawmakers are now pushing for more protections, including tools that could silently alert police.
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
