Nadine Adams Bowden

Nadine Adams Bowden, of Chapel Hill, passed away peacefully on the afternoon of July 15, 2026 with her son by her side. She was 93 years old and in the loving care of Coble Creek Healthcare at Twin Lakes Community in Burlington, NC.

She is survived by her son, Mike (Debbie) Bowden of Chapel Hill; grandsons Steve (Darby) Bowden of Bluffton, SC, and Tim Bowden of Chapel Hill; as well as seven great-grandchildren and her sister, Thelma Ward of Chapel Hill. Nadine was preceded in death by her husband, Brack Bowden of Chapel Hill; her parents, John Treely and Gertrude Adams; her brothers, Johnny, Bobby, and Alvis Adams; and her sister, Otelier Davis.

Nadine grew up in the Eli Whitney community in Alamance County. She and Brack were happily married for 72 years, living in the White Cross community west of Chapel Hill. She worked at the UNC School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, for 30 years. After retirement she spent her time beside Brack working around the house, where she could usually be found cleaning, cooking, or playing her piano.

She and Brack were lifelong members of Antioch Baptist Church, and they would spend all year looking forward to their yearly fall fishing trips to Emerald Isle with their large group of Antioch friends and family. But what gave her the most joy in her life was her family, especially her two grandsons and her seven great-grandchildren. She was so proud of each of them, and it clearly showed.

Nadine was a soft-spoken, deeply caring wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and she will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. We can draw comfort knowing that she and Brack are side by side once again, as they were always meant to be.

Funeral services will be held at Antioch Baptist Church, 1707 White Cross Road, Chapel Hill, NC, on Wednesday, July 29, at 2:00 PM. The family will receive friends following the service in the Church Fellowship Hall. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery Fund or to AuthoraCare Collective Hospice, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215.