Salem: Vincent J. Dowdell, age 88 of Salem, died following a brief illness, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers on Thursday, November 25, 2010 with his family by his side. He was the husband of the late Jacqueline (Jean) Dowdell, with whom he had shared 49 years of marriage.
Vincent was born in Salem, son of the late Vincent J., Sr. and Anna (Corbin) Dowdell. He graduated from Salem High in 1940 and also was a graduate of Tufts University with a degree in engineering. He was in Tufts R.O.T.C. program with the onset of World War II. He served with the Navy from 1942 through 1945 as a Lieutenant JG aboard the aircraft carrier USS Essex, and the USS Boxer in the Pacific.
He first worked as an engineer for the former USMC in Beverly and in the aerospace industry at AVCO. Vincent retired from Stone & Webster Engineering in Boston in 1984. His real passion was books, and he was particularly interested in local history. Vincent once had an article published in Yankee Magazine. He was a long time member of the Essex Institute and Peabody Museum, now known as the PEM.
He is survived by 5 children, Jane Marquis and her husband Jerry of Bradford, Judy Armitage and her husband Paul of Middleton, Claudia Dowdell of Salt Lake City, UT, Peter Dowdell and his wife Mary of Salem, Ann McBrierty and her husband Michael of Boxford, 7 grandchildren, Kristen Fritz and her husband Michael, Amanda George and her husband Kevin, David Marquis, Erin Schumaker and her husband Chuck, Courtney Dowdell, Conor & Kyle McBrierty, and a great-grand-daughter Kaiya Schumaker. He is also survived by a brother, William Dowdell of Blackpool, England, 4 sisters, Rita Swindell of Danvers, Dorothy Beauregard of Salem, Beatrice Boyette of St. Petersburg, FL, Anne Biggins of Waltham, a sister-in-law, Lillian Dowdell of Danvers, an aunt Lucille Blanchette of Peabody, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother, Richard Dowdell and his sister, Lorraine Portelance.
Relatives and friends are invited to his visiting hours on Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Levesque Funeral Home, 163 Lafayette St. [Rt. 114 / 1-A] Salem. His funeral service will be on Monday, November 29, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B102, Danvers, MA 01923 or the Northeast Animal Shelter, Inc. 347 Highland Ave., Salem, MA 01970. For additional information and guestbook, please visit www.LevesqueFunerals.com