Williard Gene Dowdy

Listen to this obituary

A Graveside Service with Military Honors for Williard “ Gene” Dowdy, 87, will be held at County Line Baptist Church Cemetery on Wednesday, November 4 at 2 pm with Bro. Kevin Lindley and Bro. David Shepherd officiating. Visitation will be held at Memorial Funeral Home on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 from 5 to 8pm. Masks and social distancing will be advised.

Gene, of Walnut, passed away Saturday, October 31, 2020 at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, TN. Gene was born in Corinth, MS, on February 28, 1933 to Lee and Lucy Benjamin Dowdy. He attended Shannon High School and Northeast Mississippi Junior College. Gene was a proud veteran having served in the United States Navy during the Korean War with his older brother Bill. He retired in 1998 from a 40+ year career as a supervisor at Intex Plastics in Corinth. Gene was a member of the Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Walnut.

Gene will be forever remembered as a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, family member and friend. While there is a huge hole left from his unexpected passing, we are comforted knowing that that he is healthy, whole again, smiling and walking with our Jesus in Heaven. He was a faithful loving husband to his beloved wife Nylene for over 50 years; they never spent any time apart. Gene also left behind a tremendous legacy of what it is to be a good father as Proverbs 22:6 says. He always put his family first. There are so many words to describe Gene; kind, easy going, gentle spirit, giving, good provider, honest, strong work ethic, patriotic, funny “Geneisms”, always smiling. Known as "Gene Gene" to his four precious grandkids, that he loved dearly, he would light up talking to them. He loved working around the farm and being around his family and friends. Gene had been a fighter from day one having weighed only two pounds when he was born in 1933 and was a fighter to the end. Gene lived a full, active 87 years and will be truly missed and forever remembered by those who loved him, until we see him again in Heaven.

Survivors include his beloved wife, Nylene Jackson Dowdy, daughter Angie (Brett) Karstens of Nashville, Tennessee, son Steven (Tina) Dowdy of Middleton, Tennessee, and grandchildren, Dalton Karstens, Grace Karstens, Noah Watson, and Ty Dowdy.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Lucy Dowdy; sisters and brothers-in-law Eddie Lee (Marlin) McFarling, Pauline (T.B.) Meeks, Wilma (Paul) Patey, and brother Bill (Ann) Dowdy.

Pall bearers are Bobby Joe Jackson, Dale Jackson, Deryl Cossitt, Harvey Meeks, Kerry Jackson, and Tommy Meeks. Honorary Pall Bearers are his grandchildren, Dustin Hodum, Dwight Smith, Gary Swain and Perry McFarling.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialcorinth.com for the Dowdy family.

Arragements are under the care of Memorial Funeral Home.