Hundreds of mourners, through song, prayers, and remembrance, wept on Friday during a celebration of life at Church by the Glades for Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer, celebrating her short but impactful life.
Her friend, Commissioner Joshua Simmons, choked back tears during the service, saying he is still trying to process the tragic death. “I’m still trying to process how we got here,” he said.
Metayer, 38, a rising star in Florida democratic politics, was an activist and environmentalist from a close-knit Haitian American family who dreamed of running for Congress. She was found shot to death inside her Coral Springs home on April 1. Her husband of three years, 40-year-old Stephen Bowen, is charged with premeditated murder. Police described the death as domestic.
Her distraught sister, Jennifer Metayer Smith, gave a moving eulogy on Metayer’s accomplishments. “Though my world is quieter, I will do everything you wanted me to do,” she said.
Lifelong friends described Metayer as always promoting excellence and empowering people to rise above their circumstances. “She had a rare gift of making people feel known and understood”.
Dr. Caroline Eliston of the Haitian American Nurses Association said Metayer brought that spirit with her to their many events. “She would volunteer. Always had a smile. It’s an honor,” Dr. Eliston said after the service. Nurse Anssie Bloc added, “And as a mother, I feel for her parents. It’s very hard”.
Miramar Mayor Wayne Messums, who also attended the service, said, “Her legacy is if you serve, you’ll be emulated”. Florida State Representative Marie Woodson urged everyone to follow in Nancy Metayer’s footsteps, calling her a light, a leader, and a force for change. “Together we are the change. And Nancy, job well done,” Woodson said.
