Lessie Norene (Williams) Dowd

Lessie “Norene” (Williams) Dowd, 100 of Saint Jo, Texas went home to be with the Lord on Thursday May 25, 2023 in Bowie, Texas. Funeral services will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday May 31st, 2023 at First United Methodist Church in Saint Jo, Texas. Montague County Cowboy Church Senior Pastor Joe Caballero and Montague County Cowboy Church Youth Pastor Rowdy Hopson will officiate. Interment will follow at Illinois Bend Cemetery in Illinois Bend, Texas where she will be laid to rest next to her husband. The family will receive friends from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday May 30th 2023 at Scott Funeral Home in Saint Jo, Texas. Norene was born August 18, 1922 in Illinois Bend, Texas to Artie and Lessie Williams. She attended school at Illinois Bend and graduated from high school in Gainesville, Texas, also graduating from Junior College there and attending North Texas State in Denton. On December 3, 1941 Norene married the love of her life W.D. “Dub” Dowd in Wichita Falls, Texas. Soon after they were married Dub joined the war to defend our country and served in WWII and the Korean War. After returning from the war, Norene and Dub purchased land on the Red River where they raised two beautiful girls (Linda and Arlene) making raising cattle their successful lifetime career. Once the girls became school age, Dub and Norene thought it best the girls be closer, so they built a house in Saint Jo, Texas (where the school was their front yard). Norene started working at The First National Bank all the while still operating the 100-year-old ranch for which they received the Family Land Heritage Honor in 1989 in Austin, from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Over the years Norene enjoyed working in her flower beds, gardening, and was an avid birdwatcher. It brought her great joy making jewelry, sewing clothes, and working along side Dub on the family ranch, where she grew up while watching the girls grow into adulthood. Once the girls got married and had children of their own, she received the greatest title of all, “Gran.” It brought her great joy to watch her grandchildren ride the four-wheeler, dress up in play dresses and high heels and play “kitchen” with the discarded vegetables from the garden. She took pride in teaching the value of life, as she was taught. Having her grandchildren grow up on the ranch and instilling in them the “country way of life” and its unlimited values. Norene’s grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren were the light of her life and it’s what she lived for. She was a dedicated member of the Illinois Bend Community Club as well as the Illinois Bend Cemetery Association where she served many years. After the passing of her late husband in 1994 her strong will and dedication lead her to continue managing, operating, and taking care of every aspect on the ranch. She was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church in Saint Jo, Texas. Norene is preceded in death by her beloved husband (W.D. “Dub” Dowd), her daughter Linda Lou and husband Wendell Thompson, her parents Artie and Lessie Williams, and her infant brothers Marshal, Marion and Arnold. Norene is survived by her youngest daughter Arlene Brewer and husband Gary of Bowie, Texas; 5 grandchildren Melissa Thompson of Saint Jo, Texas, Kyle Thompson and wife Chelsie of Saint Jo, Texas, Elesha Green and husband Guy of Bowie, Texas, Carissa Hopson and husband Rowdy of Illinois Bend, Texas, Evan Brewer and wife Randi of Bowie, Texas; 10 great grandchildren Tristin Padgett and husband Jeffrey, Lane Hopson and wife Brookelyn, Brylie and Brenley Green, Lileigh and GW Brewer, all of Bowie Texas, Kaitlyn Metzler and husband RJ of Alvord, Texas, and Luke Chaffin and wife Ashley of Callisburg, Texas, Leighton and Paisley Thompson of Saint Jo, Texas; 9 great-great grandchildren Jase, Gavin, Eli, baby Chaffin, Zane, Hagen, Jamie Metzler, Hazel Padgett, and Baby Girl Hopson. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Montague County Cowboy Church Youth Building. Montague County Cowboy Church office P.O. Box 4 Montague, Texas 76251 (check memo “Norene Memorial-Youth Building”) or Illinois Bend Cemetery Association 512 Dowd Road, Saint Jo, Texas 76265. Pallbearers: Evan Brewer, Guy Green, Lane Hopson, Rowdy Hopson, Jeffrey Padgett, Kyle Thompson, Honorary Pallbearers: Johnny Mac Dowd and Max Ham.

Lessie Norene (Williams) Dowd

August 18, 1922 - May 25, 2023