Mary Ula Bowen Nokes, age 81, formerly of Lexington, MA, died December 28,
2021, with her family by her side at Lahey Hospital in Burlington, MA.
She was born March 13, 1941, in LIttle Rock, AR to the late Margaret Ula
Purefoy Bowen and Jerome Holt Bowen.
Mary is survived by her husband of 51 years, David Studley Nokes; her three
children Margaret Whitney Nokes and her life partner Bernard of Holliston, Eva
Bowen Nokes and her life partner Kevin of Billerica, and Charles Jerome Nokes
Quavelin and his wife Jennifer of Burlington, VT; five grandchildren Talia Franks,
Carlos and Elena Garcia, and Molly and Elyse Quavelin; and two
step-grandchildren Tobin and Emma Braun.
She also leaves behind her sister Eva Louise Bowen Taylor and her husband
Floyd of St. Simons Island, GA; sister-in-law Karen Nokes Varga and her
husband David of Georgetown; and six nieces, one nephew, and their families.
She was also the sister-in-law of the late Kenneth Nokes and his wife Judy of
Ipswich, and Carol Jean Nokes of Danvers.
Mary was a board member of the Lexington Field and Garden Club, the Garden
Club Federation of Massachusetts, the Landscape Design Council, the
Gardening Study Council, the Environmental Study Council, the National Society
of the Colonial Dames in Massachusetts, and formerly the Vassar Club of
Boston. She was a past chairman of the Wednesday Workshop group of the
garden club. In addition to serving on those boards, she was active in the
Church of our Redeemer in Lexington, MA. She served on the Awards
Committee of the New England Wildflower Society. Mary was the registrar for
the Landscape Design and Gardening Study schools for many years.
She was loved, and all who knew her will miss her vibrancy, humor, quick wit,
and charm.
Services will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the
Church of Our Redeemer in Lexington, MA at https://www.our-redeemer.net