Reba Starnes Bowers

Reba Starnes Bowers, 87, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at Trinity Place. Her funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM on Sunday, March 15, 2026 at Union Grove Baptist Church with Pastor Jeremy Blake and Rev David Howard officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:30 PM until 2:45 PM at the church prior to the service. Mrs. Bowers was born May 29, 1938 in Stanly County, North Carolina, and was the daughter of the late Glenn Frederick Starnes and Sula Helms Starnes. She served the community as a Nursing Assistant at Stanly Memorial Hospital and later retired after many years of service working in Occupational Health with Wiscassett Mills. She was a faithful member of Union Grove Baptist Church. Reba will be remembered by her family as a strong-willed, giving, and deeply loving woman who cherished her family above all else. She was a devoted grandmother who found great joy in the time she spent with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. In her quieter moments, she enjoyed tending to her garden, reading, and completing word search puzzles. She also loved shopping and listening to the old hymns "Beulah Land" and "Just As I Am." One of her favorite scriptures was Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future," a verse that reflected the faith that guided her life. Reba also had a special place in her heart for animals, especially cats, and rarely turned away a stray that needed a home. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Paul Edward Bowers, Sr.; sisters Nancy Privette and Frances Hudson; and brother Joel Starnes. She is survived by her son, Paul Edward Bowers, Jr. of Albemarle; daughter, Amanda Bowers Thompson and husband Todd of Albemarle; siblings Ellen Smith of Concord, James Starnes of Albemarle, and Doris Huneycutt of Albemarle; five grandchildren Hilary Almond (Jeremy), Heather Amaral (Jim), Peyton Bowers (Aylissa), Alex Thompson, Erin DeMarco (Ben); and seven great-grandchildren, Austyn, Collyns, Sellah, Letty, Aubrey, Evelyn, and Roselie. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews who will cherish her memory. Memorials may be made to Tillery Compassionate Care at https://www.tillerycompassionatecare.org or to Union Grove Baptist Church, 20514 NC 138 Hwy, Albemarle, NC 28001.

Reba Starnes Bowers

May 28, 1938 - March 12, 2026