Grace Chawner Bowles

Bowles—Grace Chawner Bowles, 89, on May 4, 2025, peacefully, in Greensboro, N.C. Grace, who went by the name Gay for much of her life, was born on January 19, 1936, to Lowell and Lucia Chawner in Washington, D.C. Gay spent her much of her childhood in Washington. During her early high school years the family moved to the Los Angeles, Calif. area as Lowell was part of Eisenhower’s economic development team in postwar Korea. The family moved to Tokyo for about six to twelve months before returning to the D.C. area. Gay graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda, Md., and later attended Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., for three years, where she met her husband of 58 years, John Bedell Bowles. After marrying in 1958, the couple moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. Gay later graduated from Central College in Pella, Iowa, in 1976.

Gay and her family lived in Honolulu, Hawaii; Oskaloosa, Iowa; Lawrence, Kans.; and Pella, Iowa. After John’s retirement, the couple moved to San Marcos, Tex., after a brief time in Austin, and then later moved to Greensboro, N.C., to be closer to family and friendlier weather. Gay was a member of Friendship Meeting in Greensboro.

Gay held several jobs throughout her life, including secretary and librarian, but her most cherished and meaningful role was as a loving mother and later grandmother and great-grandmother to four children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Gay was adventurous and endlessly curious. The family took several road trips across the United States. In 1971, 1973, and 1975, Gay and John drove all four of their children from Iowa to the Yucatán Peninsula, as John was a faculty leader in a foreign study program with Central College.

Gay never encountered a stranger. Every person she met was another person to connect with and get to know. She loved to hear in great detail anything that anyone was passionate about, any curious thing, or funny story. Gay loved to host. Over the years as the wife of a college professor, she reached out to many of the students, both from the United States and from overseas, to invite them for meals.

Gay loved to knit, and was a huge fan of sunflowers and otters. She taught with a smile the importance of creating connections with people in the community.

Gay was predeceased by her husband, John Bowles, in 2016; a sister, Martha Chawner; and two children, David Bowles and Sandy Bowles.

She is survived by two children, Nan Bowles (Tom Kirmeyer) and James Bowles (Heather Drennan); five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Lydia Hadley and Priscilla Ketscher.