Jane G. Dowdell

Jane G. Dowdell, 93, a resident of Wesleyan Village since 2008 and former resident of Elyria Township for 57 years, passed away in December 2019. Jane was born in Elyria to H. Urban and Gertrude Obringer.She was a 1944 graduate of Elyria High School and was employed at Elyria Memorial Hospital as secretary to the Director of Nurses and the M.B. Johnson School of Nursing prior to her marriage to the late Richard (Dick) Dowdell in June 1948.Jane was a member of St. Agnes Catholic Church, where she was a member of the Alter and Rosary Society and former member of the National Council of Catholic Women of Lorain County. She served as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Agnes Church and at Elyria Memorial Hospital and to parish shut ins. She was an active member of the Elyria YMCA for 25 years, where she was a volunteer helping special needs children in the pool and helped members of the arthritis aqua class. She was on various committees for the YMCA. In 1996, she was recognized as the volunteer of the year. Jane was also a member of the Home Economics advisory committee of the OSU Extension of Lorain County and a member of the Lorain County Beekeepers. While at the Wesleyan Village she volunteered on various committees and visited residents on the health care floors. Jane enjoyed sewing, reading, playing cards and games, fishing, swimming, dancing and traveling. She did extensive work on both her own and Dick's genealogy. Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.Survivors include daughters, Mary Ann Dowdell of Oneonta, New York, Nancy J. Dowdell of Elyria and Rita L. (Jim) McAllister of Orrville; sons, Joseph E. Dowdell of DeLeon Springs, Florida and Richard A. (Cathy) Dowdell of Bozeman, Montana; 11 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick; daughter, Margaret T. Dowdell; great-grandsons, Rory McAllister; parents, H. Urban and Gertrude Obringer; sisters, Bernadine Ketch and Imelda Schuster and brothers, Robert Obringer and The Reverend Francis Obringer.A private interment was held Tuesday, August 19, 2020 at St. Mary's Cemetery, Elyria.Memorial contributions can be made to St. Agnes Church, St. Vincent DePaul Society, 611 Lake Ave., Elyria, OH 44035 or to the charity of your choice.Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Laubenthal-Mercado Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 38475 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Elyria.Online condolences may be expressed at www.laubenthalmercado.com