Flags to fly at half-staff Friday in honor of Coral Springs vice mayor, governor says
State and local government properties in Tallahassee and Coral Springs will fly flags at half-staff Friday, April 17, in Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen’s honor.
Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the action in a memo to Florida Director of Real Estate Management and Development Brian Fienemann and Coral Springs Mayor Scott Brook.
Metayer will be laid to rest after a service at Church by the Glades on Friday, nearly two and a half weeks after police discovered her body at the home she shared with her husband, Stephen Bowen. He has been arrested and charged with premeditated murder and evidence tampering.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive for the viewing by 11:30 a.m. It will last until the service begins at 12:30 p.m.
In a news release, Coral Springs city officials also added additional information about Metayer’s memorial service:
- Attendees are asked not to wear shades of red, burgundy or purple, as they are seen as disrespectful in Haitian funeral tradition.
- The service will be livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person. Photos and videos will not be permitted inside the sanctuary.
Family members have set up an endowment in Metayer’s name to assist with funeral costs and help carry on her legacy. As of April 16, it has raised $40,000.
Tributes to Metayer highlight her as a servant leader and environmentalist who paved the way for Black and Haitian women in South Florida politics.
In addition to her work as a commissioner and vice mayor in Coral Springs, she also played an integral role in organizations such as Avanse Ansanm, the Florida Democratic Party and Friends of the Earth.
