Lois McDowell, 89, of Perry passed away Sunday, March 3, 2019, surrounded by her family at her home in Perry, Iowa.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, March 6 at 10 a.m. at the Carris Family Funeral Home and Cremation Care in Perry. Visitation will be Tuesday, March 5 from 2-8 p.m., with family present from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Rippey Cemetery in Rippey.
Memorials will be given to St. Croix Hospice in Panora and may be left at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent at www.carrisfuneralhome.com.
Lois Arlene McDowell was born June 30, 1929, in Jamaica, Iowa, to Roy William and Blanche Mildred (Pittman) Pittman.
She attended school at Jamaica High School, where she was a star basketball player on the team.
Lois was united in marriage to Vernon Lester McDowell at First Christian Church in Perry May 16, 1947.
She worked for the Perry public schools as a school bus driver for 20 years.
Lois was a member of the First Christian Church and later attended the Rippey and Dawson United Methodist Churches. She was also a member of Eastern Star in Jamaica and a 50-year member Rebekah Lodge in Rippey and the American Legion Auxiliary.
She volunteered as a Red Cross swim instructor.
Lois enjoyed gardening, canning, tea parties with the grandchildren, cooking for the grandchildren, luncheon with the “Therapy Group” at To Jo’s in Jamaica, putting puzzles together with her friends at Candleridge Apartments and bowling.
She participated in many plays with the Rippey Theater Group.
In death she rejoins her husband, Vernon: parents, Roy and Blanche; two brothers, Earl and Junior Pittman; and two sisters, Mae Carpenter and Betty Lynam.
Left to cherish Lois’ memory are her children, Janice (Louis) Miller of Hortonville, Wis., Marilyn Anderson of Perry, Cheryl Harris-Waskovich of Cedar Rapids, Donna (Kurt) Ridnour of Perry, Rodney (Rosie) McDowell of Des Moines and Julie Holland of Perry and Randy Holland of Ankeny; grandchildren, Shelly (Forrest) Parker, Scott Miller, Melissa (Austin) Radditz, Joseph (Flora) Krause, Sarah Krause, Jonathan (Cassie) Krause, Alexander Harris, Cody Ridnour, David Ridnour, Jason (Michelle) McDowell, Brenda (Brian) Miller, Alex Hoffman, Emily Hoffman, Kelsey Holland and Kayla Holland; 18 great grandchildren; siblings, Shirley Appenzellerof Perry, Joyce Donnelly, Fremont, Neb., and Lila Brown of Ankeny.
