Thomas Dix Bowers

The Reverend Thomas (Tom) Dix Bowers died peacefully at his home in Morehead City on July 13, 2024, surrounded by family, supported by countless friends, and loved ones.

Bowers was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, the second child of George Hubert and Nellie Dix Bowers. He regaled his children and grandchildren with stories of his legendary adventures and misadventures exploring the bays, backwaters, and beaches of Tidewater Virginia with his

siblings and friends.

Bowers graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. His class graduated early on account of the Korean War, and he was deployed and served for 16 months in Korea as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army 39th Artillery Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. Bowers then earned a second bachelor’s degree in English from the University of the South. It was while at Sewanee that Bowers discerned a call to ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.

In 1956, Bowers earned his Master’s in Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary and would later pursue advanced studies in the School of Theology at the University of the South. He began his ordained ministry as Deacon-in-Charge and then Rector of St. George’s Pungoteague and St. James Accomac on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, during which time he met his beloved wife

Margaret Pendleton Bonner. They married in 1958 and raised four children, Margaret Anne, Thomas, Patricia, and Jonathan.

Bowers went on to serve as Associate Rector of St Alban’s, Washington, DC; Rector of St. Patrick’s, Washington, DC; Rector of St. Luke’s, Atlanta; and Rector of St. Bartholomew’s, New York City. A leader in the movement for liturgical renewal within the Episcopal Church, Bowers integrated folk masses and televised services into Sunday worship and actively pursued social change and civic engagement throughout his ministry. He welcomed Black clergy onto his staff during the contentious days of the Civil Rights Movement and women clergy onto his staff shortly after the church opened ordained ministry to women.

In Washington, Bowers served on the boards of the National Cathedral School for Girls; the Episcopal Center for Children; St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School, and numerous diocesan commissions and councils. During his tenure as Rector of St. Luke’s in Atlanta, the parish began a community kitchen known as “Luke’s Place,” the genesis of the Atlanta Food Bank; and supported the Street Academy which later became Communities in Schools, a nationally recognized program promoting education equity for youth. He also served as Commissioner of the Human Relations Commission in Atlanta. In 1977, Coretta Scott King presented Bowers with the Human Relations Award from the Martin Luther King Center for Social Change. As part of his service to St. Bartholomew’s New York City, Bowers founded a soup kitchen, a food bank, a shelter program, a task force on AIDS, a ministry to the elderly, and more. For the depth and breadth of his ministry, Bowers received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from Nashotah House Seminary, Virginia Theological Seminary and The University of the South.

After his retirement in 1993, he served as the interim rector of St. John’s, Lafayette Square, Washington, DC and St. David’s, Austin. While retired, he continued his ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina, assisting clergy at St. Paul’s, Beaufort; St. Christopher’s, Havelock; St. Andrew’s, Morehead City; and St. Francis by the Sea, Salter Path. Bowers enjoyed serving for many years as preacher in residence at All Saints, Linville, and Good Shepherd, Cashiers in the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina; and at the Anglican churches on the Caribbean islands of Anguilla and St. Barts.

Bowers was renowned as a preacher who for many decades prepared sermons that drew on close reading of scripture; an insatiable appetite for reading; keen attention to culture, politics and social change; a gift for storytelling; his sometimes-irreverent sense of humor; and a spirited delivery that conveyed the conviction of his own faith and engaged congregations in ways that touched and changed lives. In 2010, Bowers preached and taught at the inaugural program of the Thomas Dix Bowers Preaching Fellowship established at Virginia Theological Seminary in recognition of the impact of his preaching over more than 50 years and with the intent to inspire the next generation of preachers.

Tom’s lifelong love for the water led to the decision to vacation every August in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina; to spend winter vacations in the Caribbean where he was joined by extended family and friends, and to his eventual retirement in Morehead City on the coast of North Carolina.

Tom kept in close touch with parishioners from throughout his ministry. Visits with those friends, whether in person or over the phone, would often end in prayer. He was deeply devoted to his children and grandchildren and loved family gatherings as the extended family traveled to the beach for holidays and summer vacations.

In 2001, Tom’s wife Margaret died after battling ovarian cancer for several years. They were married 43 years. Together, they relished the joys and challenges of parish life and gave themselves freely and fully to the congregations they served. When Margaret became ill, Tom embraced the role of caregiver, grateful to reciprocate the support Margaret had given to him across so many years.

Tom married Palmer (Pam) Ulmer in 2003. Pam and Tom were devoted to one another and in their 20 years of marriage travelled extensively and enjoyed many fun times with family and friends. Pam was a devoted companion and caregiver to Tom as his health began to fail.

Thomas Dix Bowers is preceded in death by his wife Margaret Pendleton Bowers, his brother George Bowers, his sister-in-law Mary Jane Bowers, his sister Patricia White, his brother-in-law Luther White, and his sister-in-law Gail Bowers. He is survived by his wife Palmer Ulmer Bowers and her son Charlie A. Sumners; his brother John Pennington Bowers; his daughter Margaret Anne Bowers Ayres and her husband Robert; his son Thomas Dix Bowers, Jr., and his wife Elizabeth; his daughter Patricia Elizabeth Bowers-Young and her husband Timothy; his son Jonathan St. Paul Bowers and his wife Jane; his grandchildren Kathleen Pendleton Ayres, Elizabeth Ayres Domenech, Margaret Ann Bowers, Ada Nellie Bowers, Isabelle Sun Bowers, Margarita Grace Bowers-Young, Ella Harris Bowers-Young, and Joshua David Bowers; and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Morehead City, North Carolina at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 20th, immediately followed by the internment in the columbarium at St. Andrew’s. The service will be livestreamed for those unable to join in person. You can join the livestream starting at 2:00 PM Eastern on the St. Andrews Morehead City Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/StAndrewsMHC

Tom’s family extends special thanks to Robin from Carteret Home Health and Hospice who cared for him beautifully at the end of his life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the St. Mary’s Preschool in Anguilla, the Thomas Dix Bowers Preaching Fellowship Fund at Virginia Theological Seminary, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Morehead City, or the church or charity of your choice.

Condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family at www.noebrooks.net.

Arrangements by Noe-Brooks Funeral Home, Morehead City, NC.