We have a very special day here at Iowa Cold Cases. Today, my co-administrator, Nancy Bowers, is celebrating her birthday. And while birthdays are always something to celebrate, I feel we at ICC have just as much to celebrate because back in January, this woman of many, many talents chose to get on “our” bus and contribute those talents to the work we’re trying to accomplish here.
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: I honestly don’t know what I did before Nancy came along. From the beginning, she seemed to know exactly what needed done, how it needed done, where it needed done and when it needed done, and she wasn’t afraid to dive in head first and go straight to work making sure it did get done. Nancy has proven to be one of Iowa Cold Cases’ greatest assets, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank her for all her hard work and for helping make ICC what it is today.
Every year on Nancy’s birthday, her husband Neal — as well as her best friend at the Ames Police Department — go out of their way to do something special for Nancy’s birthday, and this year was no exception. When I got Nancy’s e-mail today with the subject line “You’ve never seen anything like this before!” I knew it had to be something truly remarkable, because at ICC, we see (and hear) a lot of strange, unusual and even unbelievable things. But she was right; the instant I saw the pictures, I knew they were ones I simply had to share here. I’m not sure who gets the photo (or the baking!) credits, but let’s just say the pictures speak for themselves.
For those of you who regularly read the blog, you know how much time and effort Nancy puts into each post to ensure no victim’s cold case “anniversary” goes unnoticed. Sometimes, it’s a “missed birthday” the victim would have celebrated were he/she still with us, and Nancy knows how much those dates mean to the victim’s family members, friends, and the countless others who’ve never forgotten what should have been taking place that day.
Today, though, is Nancy’s day. So please join me in wishing her a Very Happy Birthday and — while you’re here — please feel free to add a little (or a long!) comment to let Nancy know how much we appreciate her efforts and everything she does in behalf of our many lost loved ones.
Happy Birthday, Nancy, and thank you so very much!
Jody
Marlene Padfield
On Thursday, June 10, the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun featured a story about the Iowa Cold Cases website, and spoke with ICC’s co-administrator Nancy Bowers about the unsolved murder of Lisbon resident Marlene Padfield as well our organization’s commitment to providing every resource available to help solve cases like Marlene’s.
“You can shake loose a memory or jar a conscience,” Nancy said of the rapidly growing and detailed case summaries and the group’s efforts to publicize them in hopes of shaking loose one of those memories or a conscience.
The full story is available here, and many thanks to our Nancy Bowers for her dedication and great work!
Many thanks go out to KCRG-TV 9 (Cedar Rapids) Anchor/Reporter Ashley Hinson, who recently wrapped up a series on Iowa cold cases and took the time to meet with ICC’s Nancy Bowers.
Cold Cases: Gone But Not Forgotten, Part I is the first in Ashley’s series and is a testament to the struggles and successes cold case investigators face when looking to bring justice to victims and the victims’ families.
This episode aired on Tuesday, March 2, 2010.
I’m pleased to introduce Dr. Nancy Bowers, who joins the Iowa Cold Cases administrative team with an impressive background in writing and teaching, records research and criminal justice work. Nancy will help co-admins Jody and Rebecca with case summaries for the website, case updates to the blog and our Facebook group, and follow-up communications with law enforcement agencies, victims’ family members and other individuals involved with the respective cases.
Nancy received her Doctorate in English and Film Studies from Drake University. She earned an M.A. in 19th Century British Literature and an A.B. degree in English and History at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
She is the author of four published books: John Schlesinger: A Guide to References and Resources; The Hollywood Novel: 1912-1982; A Life in Time: Brown Munro, Sr. (1829-1909), and Lives to Share.
She has been a university teacher, editor, and Administrative Assistant in the Iowa General Assembly. She spent two years working in the Records Division of the Ames Police Department, where she currently volunteers, and two years assisting at the Adult Probation Office in Ames.
She is currently researching the January 1968 unsolved murder of Iowa State University student Sheila Jean Collins.
Nancy lives in Ames, Iowa, with her husband Neal and their six special needs cats.
Please join me in welcoming Nancy to the Iowa Cold Cases team!
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