Newport News- Helen I. Bowers, affectionately known as Nanny, 89 years, passed away on October 14, 2019, peacefully at home.  She was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas to Joseph and Louella Pippins Vaughan.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Karen Gorman Stover and her brother, James Vaughan.

Helen’s primary hobby was her family, whom she dearly loved. She enjoyed cooking, baking and entertaining family and friends. She was a military wife for 20 years with her previous husband Master Chief Erner Gorman.  After he passed, she was a dietitian at Virginia Beach General.  She met and married her current husband of almost 50 years, Joseph Bowers.  With him, they took care of her daughter and helped raise her 4 children.  She welcomed many family members and their children into her home and took care of them.  At one time she had 20 members living in her home.  A standard joke was when called one morning and asked what she was doing.  She responded she had just finished 100 pancakes and still needed to feed her daughter and her children.

Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 49 years, Joseph Bowers;  her son, Joseph (Judy) Gorman along with their children, Jeanette, Denise, Stacy, Shannon and Jason. Helen’s daughter blessed her with four grandchildren, Ernie, John, Michael and Laura.  Helen was further blessed with numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Helen was also very fond of the children of her brother, James and of her sister in law, Virginia. There was always more room in her heart for special friends such as Star Wolven, the Paden family and the Nolte family.

Special thank you to Dr. Sarah Bushey and her nurses.

Cremation Society of Virginia -Newport News assisted the family with arrangements.