Get To Know Pat Bowlen’s Wife, Annabel Bowlen

Annabel Bowlen is the widow of late Canadian-American lawyer and executive Pat Bowlen, who was the majority owner and CEO of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. She is a former teacher and figure skater who took over most of her husband’s responsibilities since he stepped down in 2014 due to Alzheimer’s disease. She is a passionate philanthropist who had founded Cherish the Children Guild, the charitable arm of the Beacon Youth and Family Center, in 1998 and later became involved with the charity, Be Beautiful Be Yourself. She was also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, prior to which she actively contributed towards raising awareness about the disease and organizing fundraisers.

She Is a Former Teacher and Figure Skater

Annabel Bowlen was born as Joan Annabel Spencer on November 16, 1952 in Edmonton, the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Her father was a World War II pilot and her mother, Joan Spencer, was a former British secretary. Her family is reportedly linked to British Royal Family through late Princess Diana. She grew up with a brother named Richard Spencer, who later became owner and CEO of Spencer Environmental Management Services. She attended the University of Alberta and graduated with two degrees in education and physical education. Upon graduation, she began working as an elementary school teacher in Edmonton, Canada. A former figure skater, she also served as a figure skating trainer. She passed down her skills to her daughters Brittany and Annabel, both of whom are accomplished figure skaters.

She Was Pat Bowlen’s Second Wife

Annabel Bowlen, who shares five children with her late husband Pat Bowlen and was by his side until his death on June 13, 2019, was not his first wife. Pat was previously married to Sally Parker, whom he met while they were attending the University of Oklahoma together in the 1960s. After he completed his law degree, the two moved to Edmonton, Alberta, where he made a name for himself as a successful lawyer and also helped his millionaire oil tycoon father, Paul Dennis Bowlen, run his business. He and Sally had two daughters, Amie and Beth, but the couple separated when the children were just three and two years old. Annabel met him over a decade later in Edmonton and they got married shortly after. They subsequently relocated to Denver, Colorado in 1984 and welcomed their first child, son Patrick Bowlen III. They went on to expand the family further with son John Bowlen Jr. and three daughters, Brittany, Annabel, and Christiana.

She Helped Her Husband Run Denver Broncos

Annabel’s husband Pat Bowlen became the majority owner of the Denver Broncos on March 23, 1984, as he, along with his brothers and sister, purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser. Since then, Annabel has served as a pillar of support to her husband as he helped the team become one of the most successful franchises, leading it to seven Super Bowl appearances. However, she became particularly active in her role after her husband stepped down as Broncos’ CEO in July 2014 due to his continued battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Apart from managing all his business ventures, she began appearing as the public face of the team. When her husband was honored at the Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 2015, she introduced him and emphasized how he prioritized the players and coaches over the owner. The next year, she accepted the AFC Championship Lamar Hunt Trophy and congratulated the team and the fans on behalf of her husband and the family. During the team’s visit to the White House on June 6, 2016, she presented then-President Barack Obama with a personalized Broncos jersey. Interestingly, her daughter Brittany is being groomed as the future owner of the franchise by the trust Pat had set up, and through her attorney, she has defended several legal attempts by her husband’s brother Bill and her step-daughter Beth to remove the trust.

She Was Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Like Her Husband

In June 2018, through a statement on the Broncos’ official website, Annabel revealed, “I recently learned that I’ve joined my husband Pat and the millions of others who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.” Incidentally, her husband, who was previously diagnosed with the disease, eventually died from its complications in 2019. Annabel stated that witnessing her late husband’s fight with Alzheimer’s made her aware of “this disease’s progression and its effect on those living with it as well as their families”. She added that she immediately opened up about her diagnosis to the public to raise awareness about the neurodegenerative disease and further emphasized her family’s commitment towards “Alzheimer’s awareness, treatment and research funding”. She noted that people affected with the disease did not need to completely withdraw from their daily activities and expressed her intention to continue “life with the same strength, courage and endurance” that her husband did until his death.

She Is a Passionate Philanthropist

Annabel always had a special place for children in her heart and, during her time as a teacher, witnessed how it affected “their inner souls and self worth when they had been mistreated”. In 1998, she was introduced to Beacon Youth and Family Center, a facility to treat at-risk adolescents with community-based programs, and promptly established the Center’s charitable arm, Cherish the Children Guild. She later persuaded several of her high-profile friends to join the initiative and helped in fundraising events for the Center. She left her position in 2011 after her husband fell ill, but remained its President Emeritus until the charity was closed. Subsequently, she became involved with the Down syndrome research charity, Be Beautiful Be Yourself, to help children with special needs. Since her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she and the rest of the family have led Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s every year in Denver. She mentioned in an interview that she wants to be remembered as “someone who made a difference in the lives of children and the homeless and hungry”.