Obituary: Mary Margaret Dowling

Mary Margaret Dowling passed away peacefully on March 5, 2016, in Winter Garden, Florida. Born July 20, 1925, to Leroy McKee and Lena D. Titley in Taft, California, she grew up and was educated in Taft and graduated from Taft Junior College. During WWII, Margaret worked in Oakland, California, in an aircraft assembly factory and part-time at Edy’s Original Ice Cream Parlor for Joseph Edy.

Margaret married Harry Eugene Dowling following WWII. Dowling was a Medical Technician in the war of the Pacific and seriously wounded at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. They married during his lengthy rehabilitation in Bakersfield, California, and moved to Eugene, Oregon, in 1948.

Margaret became involved in community services and volunteered in the school district. Her many years of service with the PTA eventually led to her serving as its national secretary. She also served for many years on several health and community advisory panels, including local hospital planning and services. Her volunteer work as a swimming instructor for handicapped children at Eugene’s Pearl Buck Center brought her a great deal of joy.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1980 and her son, Dennis Eugene, in 2011. Margaret is survived by her son, Michael, of Windermere, Florida, and daughter, Mary Kathleen of Eugene, Oregon.

She was rewarded with six grandchildren, Kristi and Kara of Portland, Oregon, daughters of Michael and Linda Dowling; McKenzie, Mandy and Josh Dowling, children of Dennis Dowling, all of Eugene Oregon; and Lisa Dowling also of Eugene, daughter of Mary Kathleen Dowling. In addition, she is survived by her brother, James “Jim” Taylor, of Eugene and five great-grandchildren, Mikel Octavio, Jax Alexander, Lukas, Freya and Eva Marie, all residing in Oregon.

Memorial services and celebration of Margaret’s life will be held in Eugene, Oregon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital