Suzanne Judith Goodwin Dunn Dowell was born February 4, 1946, in Manchester, Connecticut to James Goodwin and Jeanette Prell Goodwin. When Sue was an infant, she and her mother moved to Chicago to be closer to her grandmother. Sue lived there through her high school graduation from Dwight David Eisenhower High School in 1964 being raised by her mother and her adoptive father, George Dunn. A high moment for Sue in high school was playing her cornet in her school band when they were invited to join the Chicago Symphony in Orchestra Hall for a performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture sitting “in the tiny seats” in the Terrace section behind the orchestra. She was also very active in Girl Scouts earning the top award (rank) in 1964. She always talked about “pulling oars” in the cutters on Lake Michigan.
Following graduation from high school 1964. She started her college career at Illinois College in Jacksonville, IL as a pre-med student. In 1965 Sue transferred to the University of Iowa with a major in Social Work. In 1967, Sue transferred to the Christus House Community. She lived in the Women’s housing on the west side of Dubuque Street while her future husband, Dennis Roger Dowell, lived on the other side of the street in the Men’s housing. The Community gathered at the Corner House for meals and conferences. and one night Sue was tasked with cleaning up after the gathering, as was Dennis, and that’s how they met. They dated and were wanting to marry in 1968 but the recurrence of Dennis’ cancer and his treatments put some time and distance between them. Sue graduated from the University of Iowa in 1969 with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. When Dennis returned to the U of I in 1969, they happened upon each other on a city sidewalk. It was meant to be and they each married the love of their life on August 29, 1970.
Sue moved with Dennis to Des Moines, Iowa on 30 August 1970. Her first job in Des Moines was at the Polynesian Restaurant where they “had to wear Polynesian shirts, I made mine, and where I got really good tips.” From there she worked for the Boys Scouts and would have been promoted to an executive job had women been permitted to hold such a position in the 1970s. Subsequent moves included Oxford, IA; Des Moines, IA; Decatur, IL; Fort Madison, IA; Ligonier, IN, and finally returning to Fort Madison, IA, where Sue and Dennis have lived for the last 26 years,
Sue and Dennis lived in Oxford, Iowa, as Dennis attended graduate school and Sue worked. Sue worked wherever she could to help her family’s economy. Sue worked at an insurance agency, Johnson IA County Assessor, Catricia’s quilt and craft store, and finally West Point Care Center which was her major field in college. “I just loving working at the Care Center and miss it very much,” she reminded everyone in her last weeks. She was very adept at organizing and leading, making her workplace in much better shape than she found it. In 1979, Sue and Dennis welcomed Richard (Rick) Dean into their home and family which was, and is, a blessing to the whole extended family.
Sue always carried a bag, or bags, full of handiwork projects wherever she went. At family events, you could always see her sitting off to the side with her knitting, crocheting, and quilting projects. If you asked what she was doing, she would reply, “Oh I’m making this for….” and would name the person she had picked out special yarns, fabrics and patterns for. While in Fort Madison, Sue found a job in Catricia’s and found a passion that would be with her for the rest of her life – quilting. Sue made quilts and wall hangings for friends and family anniversaries and holidays or just because she had found a fabric that seemed to fit a special someone. Dennis and Rick both tagged along for Sue’s quilt shop excursions and were able to say, holding up a piece of fabric, “you don’t have this one yet.” When asked how many quilts she thought she had made, she scoffed and said, “Oh, I don’t know, the number doesn’t matter.” Planning the quilts and making them was enough. In the last week of her life, she invited her quilting group friends to go into her quilting room and have what she called “Christmas in July” as she gave away her in-progress projects, fabrics, supplies and books of all kinds. Another thing she gave away a couple of days before she died was a beloved ukulele that she never learned how to play. But with a song in her heart, she strummed that ukulele and made-up songs to sing. Then she asked that the flowered-patterned instrument be given to someone who will enjoy it and make others smile.
Sue was active in the Boy Scouts as training chairmen, St. Mary of the Assumption Church in the Art and Environment Committee and the Ministry of Care, First Christian Church as a member of the choir and duets with Dennis. The job she said she loved the most was working for the West Point Care Center in West Point, Iowa, as the Activity Director. Sue used her education and training, plus her years of experience, to make the dailiness of living in a care center come alive for the patients there. She was tremendously creative with the activities she put together for the people there. But more than that, she customized activities for each one so that they could experience a favorite memory, talent, or life event. Her extended family noticed how happy she was working there and was delighted to hear her stories about those times she had to improvise when things didn’t go according to plan.
Sue died at home on July 18, 2022. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother, George.
Survivors include her husband of nearly 52 years, Dennis of Fort Madison, IA, her son, Rick Dowell of Des Moines, IA, her sister, Maureen Lane of Warsaw, MO, two nieces and many extended family from the Dowell clan who loved her and will miss her.
Family Visitation will start at 6:00 pm followed by a Celebration and Remembrance Time at 7:00 pm Friday, August 5, 2022 at Barr Memorial Chapel, Fort Madison, Iowa. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Nauvoo, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Leukemia Research Foundation. Barr Memorial Chapel is honored to serve the Dowell Family and an online guest book may be found at www.barrmemorialchapel.com.
