Sara Dowd
May 19, 1933 ~ July 4, 2009
Sara Jo Dowd, age 76 of Saude, IA died Saturday, July 4, 2009, at Mercy Medical Center in New Hampton.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday July 8, 2009, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Protivin, Iowa with Rev. David Beckman officiating. The pall will be placed by her husband and children. Lectors for the service will be Richard Maher and Alex Sherrod. Presenting the offertory gifts will be Merissa Pettinger and Lindsey Dowd. Eucharistic ministers will be Shirley Maher and Bill and Joann Hurd. Marlene Pecinovsky will be the organist with Mirium Humpal as vocalist
Interment will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery - Reilly Ridge, rural Lawler with Ronnie Maher, Matt Maher, Jared Maher, Derek Dowd, Vaughn Pettinger and Alex Sherrod as pallbearers.
Visitation will be 3 - 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at the Hugeback & Chenoweth Funeral Home in New Hampton with a 4:00 p.m. Rosary and a 7:00 p.m. Scripture Service. Further visitation will be one hour prior to the Mass on Wednesday at Hugeback’s Protivin Funeral Home in Protivin. If so desired, memorials may be directed to the favorite charity of your choice, in Sara's name.
Sara Josephine was born May 19, 1933, the daughter of Leo P. Maher and Hanora M. (Hurd) Maher, at their rural home, (Pine Knoll Farm) Lawler, Iowa. She was baptized and received her first holy communion, confirmed and married in Sacred Heart Parish, Reilly Ridge, Lawler. She attended Kindergarten through the 8th grade at West Saude Rural School and graduated in 1951 from the New Hampton High School.
Sara worked in New Hampton until she was united in marriage to William F. Dowd at the Sacred Heart Church on January 30, 1954. The couple lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where Rebecca and Leo were born. The family moved to Omaha, NE where Christine was born. They later transferred to Sioux City, IA, Riverdale, IL, New Orleans, LA, Denver, CO and back to New Orleans, where she took early retirement from Civil Service with the U.S. Navy and moved back to her birthplace in July of 1993. Until retirement Sara worked in various office positions; C & H Farm Service and the ASCS offices in New Hampton and Cedar Rapids, Girl Scout office and temporary employment in Sioux City. She was a substitute teacher in Gretna, LA and was with the Census Bureau in Lakewood, CO, Coast Guard and Navy in New Orleans.
Sara thoroughly enjoyed life and was an active member throughout the years working with Girl Scouts, Explorers, various women’s clubs and community service projects. She also was a member of the VFW Auxiliary and a member of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church and Rosary Society, Protivin. Sara was a lifetime member of the Catholic Order of Foresters. She loved her cats, photography, painting, woodworking, sewing, crafts and keeping in touch and spending time with family and friends.
Sara is survived by her husband, William “Tiny” Dowd; daughters, Rebecca Sherrod, New Orleans, LA and Christine (Marvin) Pettinger, Denver, CO; son, Leo (Bev) Dowd, New Hampton; granddaughters, Merissa Pettinger and Lindsey Dowd; grandsons, Alex & Austin Sherrod, Derek Dowd and Vaughn Pettinger; one great granddaughter; two brothers, Ronald (Verlene) Maher of New Hampton and Richard (Shirley) Maher of Blue Earth, MN.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
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Dear Bill and Family, Shocked to hear about Sara after hearing from her in April. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. She was a warm, loving, helping and giving person. Merrill
Dear Bill & family, We were so sorry to hear about Sara passing away. Our prayers and thoughts are with you all, at this difficult time. Love, Georgia & Harlan Ryan
My prayers are with you at this time. I adored Sara and enjoyed working with her and having her as a friend. I always looked forward to her yearly visits to the Jazz Fest and French quarter Fest this year. Will miss her. Judy
Bill and family, My condolences on the passing of Sara Jo. Most of my memories of my cousin are from my childhood visits to the farm. When I saw her again several years ago at a family reunion, I was so sorry that I hadn’t had the chance to know this interesting lady as an adult. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this painful time. Bev (Hagenstein) Hadjikhani
Sara was a great person that touched so many lives and always found fun things to keep herself busy. She will be forever missed. Friends, Walt & Kathy
Just wanted to send our condolences to the family and I am so sorry to hear about your moms loss, we will surely miss her very much.Our prayers for your family at this tragic time ! God bless you all. John & Joy Hebert
We were saddened to hear about Sara. She is a special lady and am grateful that I was able to know her. I know losing a loved one is hard but know that she is safe and pain free. We need to cherish the times we have had and keep them in our memories. Karen and Ced
Tiny, Leo, Bev anf family, I am truly saddened by the loss of your wife and mother. Sara was a wonderful, sweet woman and will be missed. You’re in our thougths and prayers.
We send our sympathy. We are part of the 801st. Army Engineer group. Sara will be missed.
I am so very sorry for your loss. Although I did not know her well, I so enjoyed visiting with her when she was in to do pictures. She was my very first customer, while things were still being set up. She always had such a pleasant outlook. I know she will be greatly missed by her loved ones. Linda Torkelson
Thank you very much for informing me of Sara’s passing. Polly and I wish to express our condolence to you, her children, and to Bill. We love them both. I wish I could give you words to ease the pain, but, only God can give consolation.
Hi Chris, I am one of Bob and Mary Bader’s daughters from Waterloo and wanted to pass along my sympathies to all of you. I know they were good friends with my folks and I too got to know them as part of the after church crowd when I would visit and at other times. I know my folks will miss Sara. I wish the best for Bill and all of you at this sad time. Hopefully, I’ll still see Bill around when I visit.
Sorry to hear about Sara’s death. Our deepest sympathy to Bill and family.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this time and in the future. A dear lady has left this earth, but is in His loving arms.
My Deepest sympathy! Love you Mimi!
Mr. Bill, Becky, Leo, Chrils and all of the family just wanted to let you know that we are with you in your time of sorrow. Although we could not be there Ms. Sara is in our hearts and on our minds along with the thought of all that ya’ll have to go through in the days ahead. Remember the good times and her life will live on in stories of happier times. Mr. Bill I am so grateful that ya’ll we able to come visit us in April when you were down. Who knew it would be the last time for Ms. Sara. Love Sheila & Ali.
Dear Bill, Bud and I are truly sad to hear of Sara’s passing. She will be greatly missed. Please know that our heartfelt sympathy is with you and your family during this difficult time. May the love of your friends and family comfort you and bring you strength. Warmly, Bud and Margaret Schmidt
I am in shock!!! She was always GREAT TO ME! ALWAYS.
Dear Bill and family, I was so sorry to hear of your darling Sara’s passing. I so enjoyed her and you, Bill, on our trip to the East Coast a few years ago. You have my heartfelt sympathy. Surround yourself with the love of family and friends and in the warmth of hugs. Kathy
So sorry to hear of Sara Jo’s sudden passing.Have wonderful memories of meeting her and Bill in Ireland last year when she was in such good form.We also remember her coming to the Burke Family gatherings in Waucoma and New Hampton when we visited Iowa.A gentle and good lady who will be sadly missed. Sincere sympathy to Bill and all the family from your cousins in Ireland.’We will not see her like again ‘ is a traditional Irish way of praising a lady like Sara Jo – it is so appropriate in this case. May she rest in peace. John,Anne,Turlough and Alexandra.
To Bill Dowd and family, It was with shock and great sadness that we received the news of Sara’s passing. We really got to know Sara better last year with the 801st Reunion being here on our home turf, Dayton, Ohio. Shopping and planning with Sara and Bill was a pleasure. Never did it enter our heads that it would be her last 801st Reunion. Our hearts and prayers are with you Bill and all your family. God Bless, Roger and Jill Roop
Tiny, Becky, Lee, and Chris, We are keeping you close in our hearts. Visiting Sara and Tiny was one of our favorite stops when we were in New Hampton. Sitting at the kitchen table, checking out the latest kittens or the garden, laughing about the latest project…Sara was just so fun to be with. We grieve with you all. Love and hugs, Anne, Greg, Erica, Jay, and Cara Clites, Ann Arbor, Michigan
My sympathies to you, Bill, and your whole family. I remember Sara from visiting with my parents, Bob & Mary Bader, and seeing you at many of our family events. I know she will be missed greatly. Lois Bader-Smith Denver, CO
She was a great friend and alway ready to have fun and pardy. May God bless you all, love betty and jimmie
Tiny and family My condolences to you all. You will deeply miss a great wife mother and grandmother. She is now looking over all of you. Ed
Bill, Bec and all the family, We are so sorry about Sara. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Sara was a lovely, fun loving person, I am sorry we did not see her for so long, but will always remember the many good times we shared in New Orleans. Love and Sympathy to you all, Connie and Gary Frommelt
Deepest sympathies for your loss Bill,it is even felt here in Washington state. We will miss Sara at the reunions.
we were shocked to learn of Sara Jo’s passing—always had such a fine time when with her—she was so nice to everyone, and always happy and full of energy..Please accept our sympathy and prayers.
To Bill and all the Dowd family, We are terribly sad & shocked to learn that Sara died. I spoke to her recently & for that I am grateful. We enjoyed all the fun times we shared at 801st events. Sara was an instant friend when we joined & made me feel welcome. Fondly, Ellen & Sal Barbieri
Just wanted to send my condolences to the family and I am so sorry to hear about your moms loss, we will surely miss her very much and my heart goes out to your family at this tragic time ! God bless !!
To Bill and Family, Our hearts go out to you, Bill & your children. Sara was a kind and generous woman who was loved by all who knew her. the 801st Engineer Aviation Veterans Group will feel her loss. Sara will be greatly missed and in our Prayers.
We are so sorry to hear of the death of this fun loving, pleasant lady. We recently saw her in Jerico and as always had a big smile on her face and we had an enjoyable visit. She will be missed!
So many wonderful memories of Sara Jo’s smile and laughter, whether in New Orleans or on the farm. We will miss her so much, yet know that we have another beautiful guardian angel keeping watch over us all. A Godmother to both David and Kait here on earth and now in heaven. David, Chris, Ryan, Kait, Jason, and Christal
Sara is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. I have’nt known her for very long. Met her in Jerico a couple years ago. She is someone you just love immediately. Seems like a travicity, but she was doing one of the things that she loved; taking care of her cats. I wish I would have taken the time to get to know her on a personal level. One of life’s lessons learned the hard way.
We were shocked. We were so sorry to hear about Sara Passing away. Our Condolence to Bill and the Family. Sara will be missed by all that new her Homer & Norma Williams.
Dear Bill, Rebecca, Christine and Leo, I am so sorry to hear of Sara’s passing. She was a great Godmother to me. I remember her as allways very cheerfull and smiling. We had a great time visiting your Colorado home. Remember the air guitar band with Christine, Marvin, my sister Maureen and I? We have some funny pictures. I know Sara was a great friend to my parents. I am glad she was able to meet my wife Kathy and children Bradley and Sara. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you all at this difficult time. Dan, Kathy, Bradley, and Sara Naughton
Leo and family–so sorry for the loss of your mother. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time. May your mother’s memories live on. Take care.
Leo, Bev and families our deepest sympathy goes out to your families.
Leo and Family You are in my prayers-remember all of the good times with your mother. Sorry for your loss!! Mike Fitzgerald Sherman Texas
Bill, Leo, & families, We would like to extend our heartfelt sympathy to all. Hold your memories close, they will help get you through the days ahead. Remember she is with you always. You are all in our thoughts and prayers. God Bless.