John Nelson Bowers, 69, Howard Co. homebuilder

John Nelson Bowers, a retired Howard County homebuilder and the founder and former owner of Heritage Homes, died of heart failure Sunday at University of Maryland Medical Center. The Ellicott City resident was 69.

Mr. Bowers was born in Baltimore and raised in Hamilton. He was a 1951 graduate of Polytechnic Institute and studied at Eastern College of Commerce and Law, which later merged with the University of Baltimore.

He began working in the home-building industry in 1952. He later established John N. Bowers Inc. which specialized in the design and building of homes and light commercial buildings in Howard and Baltimore counties.

In 1977, he was named Builder of the Year by the Home Builders Association of Maryland. In 1985, Mr. Bowers established a new company, Heritage Homes, which he operated until closing the business in 1998.

Mr. Bowers was an accomplished gourmet cook and enjoyed traveling.

His marriage to the former Jean Creswell ended in divorce.

He was a communicant of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church in Ellicott City, where a Mass of Christian burial was offered yesterday.

Mr. Bowers is survived by his wife of 20 years, the former Frances M. Grace; a son, John Nelson Bowers Jr. of Westminster; a daughter, Jean Marie Calderon of Crofton; two brothers, Michael Bowers of Baltimore and Mick Bowers of Phoenix; and eight grandchildren.