William Dowd

William F. 'Tiny' Dowd age 81 of Saude, IA, died Wednesday, October 27, 2010, at the Patty Elwood Center in Cresco. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, November 1, 2010, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Protivin with Rev. Nick March celebrating the Mass. The pall will be placed by Bill’s three children. Presenting the offertory gifts will be Lindsey Dowd and Merissa Pettinger. Bill and JoAnn Hurd and Shirley Maher will be Eucharistic ministers. Sue Panos, organist will accompany Miriam Humpal, vocalist with hymns, “Be Not Afraid”, “Peace Is Flowing Like A River”, “One Bread One Body” and “How Great Thou Art”. Interment will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery-Reilly Ridge, rural Lawler with military honors by the Lawler American Legion Post #279 and the Alta Vista V.F.W. Post #4069. Pallbearers will be Derek Dowd, Austin Sherrod, Alex Sherrod, Jared Maher, Matt Maher and Vaughn Pettinger. Friends may greet the family 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. Sunday, October 31, 2010 at the Hugeback & Chenoweth Funeral Home in New Hampton where there will be a 4:00 p.m. Knights of Columbus Rosary and a 6:00 p.m. Parish Scripture Service. Visitation continues 9:30 a.m. at Hugeback’s Protivin Funeral Home in Protivin on Monday. William Francis “Tiny” Dowd was born January 22, 1929, in New Hampton, Iowa the son of William Joseph and Mildred (Roehrich) Dowd. He attended New Hampton elementary and high schools, graduating in 1948. Bill enlisted in the United States Army on October 8, 1948, and attended basic training at Fort Knox, KY. He was stationed at Fort Belviour, VA; Camp LeRoy Johnson, LA; Puerto Rico; Panama; Westover Field, MA; Goose Bay, Labrador; Upper Heyford, England; McGuire Air Force Base, NJ and received an honorable discharge at Camp Walters, TX on August 8, 1952. Bill was united in marriage to Sara J. Maher on January 30, 1954, at Sacred Heart Parish, Reilly Ridge, Lawler, Iowa. They lived in Cedar Rapids, IA where he worked at Wilson’s and joined the Fire Department in June of 1954. He also worked part time at the ASCS office as a grain grader. While living in Cedar Rapids, two of their three children were born, Rebecca and Leo. In August of 1962, Bill assumed a job as Federal Grain Inspector and was transferred to Omaha, Nebraska, where Christine was born. His career transferred the family later to Sioux City, Chicago, New Orleans, Denver and back to New Orleans, where Bill retired in 1989. In June of 1993, they moved back to rural Iowa. Bill was an avid sports fan and active in the KC and VFW organizations. He was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Protivin. Survivors include one son; Leo (Bev) Dowd of New Hampton; two daughters, Rebecca Sherrod of New Orleans and Chris (Marvin) Pettinger of Northglenn, CO; six grandchildren, Derek Dowd, Lindsey Dowd, Alex Sherrod, Austin Sherrod, Merissa Pettinger and Vaughn Pettinger; one great-granddaughter; two sisters, Betty Letkey of IL and Carol Dowd of IA. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Sara on July 4, 2009; one brother, Gaylord Dowd; two sisters, Judy Roethler and Vonnie Pitz.