Walter “Richard” Dowd of Melissa, Texas passed away on June 6, 2018 at the age of 75. He was born on October 5, 1942 to Walter Raleigh Dowd and Leona (Cobb) Jefferies Dowd in McKinney, Texas. Richard grew up in McKinney where he graduated from McKinney High School in 1961 and then attended Arlington State College (UTA). Richard married Laurel Ann Chaddick on June 26, 1964 in Plano, Texas. He was an Executive in the Information Technology, Distribution, Telecommunications, and Corporate Services sectors. Richard worked for Texas Instruments, Interior Industries, Compucon and Salinon. Richard retired in 2009 after 22 years with Sally Beauty Company. What he enjoyed most professionally was the manufacturing and movement of a product. Richard’s hobbies included; working on his 1983 Mercedes 240D, boating on Lake Texoma, riding dirt bikes in East Texas and Red River, New Mexico, gardening and most days was found in his workshop repairing anything and everything. From scuba diving to flying as a private pilot, Richard loved God’s gift of nature. He was an avid reader and lifetime learner and received numerous licenses in various fields of interest. He was proud of and very much enjoyed spending time with his three grandsons sharing adventures, stories, movies and teaching them any number of lessons.
Richard is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Laurel Dowd of Melissa, Texas; children, Deidre Dowd Bacala and husband, Chris of Dallas, Texas and Byron Dowd and wife, Jill of Frisco, Texas; grandchildren, Christopher and Charlie Bacala, and Austin Dowd; brother, Ronald Ray Dowd of Dallas, Texas; cousin, Margaret Wre Sutherland; and a host of other loving family members and friends including the Chaddick family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leona and Walter Dowd and his in-laws Katherine and Earl Chaddick.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, June 14, 2018 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013. The family will receive friends during a visitation on Wednesday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. also at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society (8900 John W Carpenter Fwy, Dallas, TX 75247), KERA, Salvation Army, and American Heart Association, all of which Richard supported.