Bryce Dowell, 85, went home to be with his Lord on September 21, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. He was born on February 3, 1937 in Dimmitt Texas to Lester Herbert and Mary Estel (Foster) Dowell.
Bryce graduated from Dimmitt High School and married his high school sweetheart Darlene Carpenter. He was a man of many interests undertaking several vocations and hobbies throughout his life. He farmed the land that his family owned in Castro County until 1966. At that time, he purchased ranch land near Ardmore Oklahoma. While ranching he learned to fly and obtained his Flight Instructor certification. After a short time in Oklahoma the family moved back to Dimmitt where he taught flight school and began flying for Tidwell Spraying Service which he enjoyed for many years. After retiring from flying, he opened Flatland Mills a home-ground cornmeal and flour company which was registered with Taste of Texas and sold out of local grocery stores in the panhandle area. His final venture before retirement was maintenance lead for Goodpasture Fertilizer Plant in Dimmitt.
Bryce was also a musician and craftsman. He was in the Texas All State Choir his senior year in High School. He sang at numerous weddings and filled the position of interim music director for First Baptist Church in Dimmitt for a time. He began whittling at age 11 and became an accomplished woodworker. His projects spanned many subjects ranging from model firearms to a model of a Weber Wagon which his Dad came to Texas in, Dulcimers and Jewelry Chests. His crowning achievement was a functioning model Concord Stagecoach that he built from scale plans and completed in 2003 when he was legally blind with Macular Degeneration. The Stagecoach is on display at the Castro County Historical Museum where he was a founding member and past president.
Bryce, “Pop” to many of his loved ones, is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Darlene; daughter, Melony Fant and husband, John of Dallas; brother, Royce Dowell and wife, Wilma of McKinney; brother-in-law Leeroy O’Briant of Lubbock; daughter-in-law, Teri Dowell Ussery of Bonham; grandchildren, Michael Fant and wife, Kristin and children Bryson, Emily and Madelynn of Plano, Rebecca Yarborough and husband, Ben and daughters Elise and Julia of Dallas, Brandon Dowell of Princeton and Brett Dowell and wife, Sarah of Roanoke along with many other loving relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Estel Dowell, son, Kris Dowell, and sister, Jeri Brandes and husband, James.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 8, 2022 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home with Inurnment to follow in Ridgeview Memorial Park, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas. The service will also be live streamed at TJMfuneral.com on Bryce’s obituary page by clicking on the following link: https://celebrationoflife.tv/blog/bryce-dowell.
Memorials: Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to First Baptist Church of Dimmitt Texas.