Eileen P. Dowd

Eileen P. Dowd 

Eileen Patricia Dowd, age  97, of Columbus passed away peacefully Thursday, June 28, 2012 at Columbus Community Hospital, surrounded by her family.

Visitation was held Monday, July 2, 2012, at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Columbus. The Catholic
Daughters rosary was held at 2 p.m. Vistitation was conducted from 5-7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. vigil. Visitation was continued on Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the funeral service.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church.

Interment was held at the St. Bonaventure Cemetery in Columbus.

Arrangements were made by the McKown Funeral Home in Columbus.

Eileen Patricia O'Malley was born on St. Patrick’s Day 1915 to Lawrence W. and Blanche (Burke) O’Malley. She grew up on the family ranch homestead in Holt County. As the oldest of nine children, she learned early in life the importance of family responsibility. Eileen received her early education at a rural Chambers school and graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in O’Neill in 1933. 

She attended Wayne State College and taught school in one-room schoolhouses in rural northeast Nebraska. She was fond of recalling the time during a blizzard she closed the little schoolhouse early and rode home safely on horseback, only due to her horse's sense of direction and God’s grace. 

Leo Dowd courted Eileen from Schuyler and when a dozen roses arrived in Petersburg by train and were delivered to her schoolhouse, Leo’s romantic gesture helped win her heart. They were married on June 13, 1939, beginning a 64 year loving union marked by a faith-filled devotion which inspired their family always. Their seven children were raised in Schuyler and later Columbus. Eileen loved to dance with her beloved husband, Leo, especially ballroom dancing. 

Eileen devoutly practiced her Catholic faith as exemplified by her resolute devotion to the mass, the rosary, eucharistic adoration and her longstanding involvement with her beloved parish, St. Bonaventures. She was a member of St. Bonaventure Christian Mothers, Legion of Mary, a founding leader in perpetual adoration, Catholic Daughters of America, and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. She was a founding member of the Lady of Fatima study club. 

She is fondly remembered by her family as a devoted, loving and selfless mother. Her 14 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren were special joys in her life, especially in her later years when they visited.

Her love of nature was demonstrated through simple things; noticing a bird alighting on the bird feeder outside her kitchen window, forays out to her flower garden in evenings to pick roses for her table, or her love of Nebraska sunsets. 

Her tender smile, twinkling Irish eyes, quiet presence and compassionate heart will be greatly missed by all who loved her. 

She is survived by her children:Deanna Dowd of Lincoln; Duane (Frances) Dowd of Omaha; Larry (JoAnn) Dowd of Columbus; Coni Dowd-Molvig (Charlie) of O’Neill;  Michael Dowd (Marilyn) of Crestone, CO; Colleen Hall (Thomas) of Wimberley, Texas; Noreen Shaughnessy (Terry) St. Paul, MN; grandchildren, Kelley Curley (Greg) and their children, Frances, Gregory and Daniel of Garden City, NY; Matthew Dowd (Mary) their children, Patrick, Mary Margaret, Katherine and Timothy of Omaha; Meghan Schlattmann (Brian) and their children, Nora and Elizabeth of Omaha; Jacob Dowd  of Washington, DC; Aaron Dowd and his child, Milo of Washington, DC; Kayla Dowd of Columbus; Mark Dowd of Omaha; Eileen Shaughnessy of Albuquerque, NM; Brendan and Bridget Shaughnessy of St. Paul, MN; Conor, Patrick, Maura and Liam Hall of Wimberley, Texas. She is also survived by her brothers, Joe, Jerry and Leo O’Malley; her sisters, Ednamarie Haggerty, Teresa Dewey, Millie Goggins and Loretta Hargaden.

Eileen was preceded in death by her by her parents, Lawrence W. and Blanche O’Malley; her husband, Leo and her sister Sr. Mary Faith, OP (Isabelle). 

Suggested memorials to St. Bonaventure’s Parish Foundation, Columbus and Columbus Community Hospital Foundation (skilled care unit) in Columbus. 

Our family gratefully appreciates the loving care that she received from the caregivers at the skilled care unit at Columbus Community Hospital.