- Date Of Birth: February 16, 1950
- Date Of Death: April 10, 2016
- State: Alabama
MASTER SERGEANT DONALD BAKER MCDOWELL (16 Feb 1950- 10 April 2016)
Army Master Sergeant (CW/2) of Ferris, TX (Home of Record) and Huntsville, AL with Meritorious Service Metal//Army Commendation Metal (1st Oak Leaf Cluster)//Army Commendation Metal W/2 Oak Leaf Clusters//Good Conduct Metal (6TH AWD)//National Defense Service Medal//NC0 Professional Development Ribbon Numeral 3//Army Service Ribbon// Overseas Service Ribbon Numeral 2//Expert Mechanic Badge// Marksman Badge Rifle (M16) died Sunday 10 April 2016 at 7AM at Huntsville, AL Rehabilitation, LLC.
The Exceptionally meritorious service was for serving as Senior Instructor and Noncommisioned Officer in Charge, Land Combat Training Department Supply activity and the outstanding performance in managing property accountability of a directorate level organization with eleven major weapon systems and equipment valued at over 100 million dollars clearly exceeded his level of responsibility.
His primary Speciality was 27Z50 Land Combat/Air Defense Systems Maintenance Chief (15 years)// 63B50 Light Wheel Vehicle Mechanic 19 years 8 months. He was a member of the American Legion. After retirement, he worked for LBJ Automotive in Huntsville, AL as a mechanic.
Donald Baker McDowell was “Donnie” to those who knew him the best. Donnie was born Ellis county, Tx; grew up on a farm near Ferris, Tx; there, he learned mechanics. He attended Ferris school and worked at garage in the Bristol community joining the Army at 18. His ability to understand all things mechanical was extraordinary.
He had a long period of sickness and was attended and cared for by Jeffrey Jarrett for excess of a decade prior to last movement to Huntsville Hospital; and, then, Oakwood Dream Care Assisted Living and Home Health; Golf Rd, Huntsville, AL, where he passed. He loved to play the guitar and sing and play in a rock band. He served in the USA and Germany. He was proud of the Army.
Donnie was a fine man, devoted husband and loving father by marriage to wife, Ann S. McDowell (formally, Ann Shanneyfelt), an American Indian, (passed, 16 March 2011) daughter of Mrs. Clara E. Shanneyfelt; and, Mr. Millard W. Shanneyfelt. Don loved his family.
Jeffrey Lee Jarrett lived at home with his dad, in actual life, Donald McDowell, from 5 years old until Don McDowell was moved into professional care in 2015. Jeffrey Lee Jarrett was the primary caregiver of Donald McDowell for over a decade.
Deceased, by McDowell birth family, are: father, Monroe McDowell; mother, Pauline McNally McDowell; brothers, William McDowell, and Carl McDowell; sister, Christine Richardson.
Survivors are: 1. Sons by Ann McDowell’s 1st marriage, marriage: Jimmy Higgenbothom, Ray Higgenbothom; and; daughter, Regina Higgenbothom; and, by 2nd marriage; Jeffrey Lee Jarrett, Huntsville, AL; and, by 3rd marriage; Johnny Lee Jones, Boaz, AL; and, five Ann McDowell sisters; Shirley Powers, June Cobb, Pat Yarbrough, Judy Shannyfelt and Peggy Lang. 2. Three, by birth, brothers Bobby, Earnest, Evert McDowell, and five, by birth, sister’s; Katherine Hamm, Barbara Lynch, Cynthia Moon, Pamela Chavez, and Jeanette Wold. All McDowell family origin survivors live in Texas except Barbara Lynch in Wisconsin.
Donald Baker McDowell is greatly missed by those whom he loved and influenced and those that loved and influenced him.
Jeffrey Lee Jarrett, Donnie’s closest son in his constant home life, will process sympathy cards and distribute copies to the surviving family as feasible.
