|
Visitation in Freeport will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday
at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be at 10:30
a.m. Thursday at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Freeport, with
Monsignor P. William McDonnell officiating. In Lincoln, there will be a visitation at Peasley
Funeral Home from 8:30 until 9:30 a.m. on Friday,
followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. at Holy Family
Catholic Church, with the Rev. R. Anthony Lee
officiating.
Burial will be at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in
Lincoln.
Mr. Dowdle was a mechanical engineer who worked
for several corporations, including General
Electric, where he was awarded several U.S. patents;
Micro Switch; and United Technologies, where he was
director of product engineering. He retired in 1991
and returned to Freeport in 1992.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946.
He was born Jan. 30, 1926, in Lincoln to George
J. and Fern Phalen Dowdle. He married Norma M. Krotz
on Aug. 28, 1947, in Lincoln.
He is survived by his wife; three sons; Michael
Dowdle of Detroit, Mich., Timothy (and Janine)
Dowdle of Phoenix, Md., and George (and Pam) Dowdle
of Fuquay-Varina, N.C.; four daughters, Cynthia
McWilliams of Freeport, Colleen (and Mark) Gallagher
of Freeport, Cathie (and Bob) Hoover of Spring Lake,
Mich., and Carol (and David) Keith; 14
grandchildren, Caroline (and Chris) Bellizzi, Ryan
McWilliams, Megan Dowdle, Maureen Dowdle, Leigh
Dowdle, Valerie Dowdle, Kevin Dowdle, Patrick
Gallagher, Michael Gallagher, Rob Hoover, Sarah
Hoover, Anna Hoover, Casey Dowdle and Erin Dowdle;
and one great-granddaughter, Amelia Bellizzi.
One sister, Catherine Dowdle Amussen, preceded
him in death.
He was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in
Freeport, where he was co-chairman of fundraising
activity for the addition and remodeling in 1995. He
was an Aquin school board member in the 1960s and
served on the board of directors of St. Joseph-St.
Vincent. He was also a member of the Engineering
Society of Detroit, AMVETS, Elks, Knights of
Columbus and American Legion.
His working life spanned from the age of the
blacksmith to the digital age. He enjoyed creating
ornamental iron pieces with his father, a
blacksmith. He built his own home in Lincoln.
He was a member of a barbershop quartet when he
was younger and enjoyed singing throughout his life.
He and his wife traveled extensively.
He graduated from Lincoln College in 1948 and
received a bachelor of science in engineering from
Bradley University in 1950. He was an avid Bradley
basketball fan and participated in many alumni
events.
His priorities were God, family, music and
engineering.
Click here to send a note of condolence to the
Dowdle family. |
|
