Viola Mae McDowell

As a Merced resident for more than 60 years, she attended services at her home churches for most of her life where she served from teaching Sunday School to baking homemade goodies. She loved gardening, sewing, and being a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

Her strengthening presence will be missed and remembered.

Viola was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Marvin Lewis McDowell; son, Robert Lee McDowell and daughter-in-law, Sharon McDowell.

She is survived by her son, William (Deborah) McDowell; granddaughter, Sharene (Patrick) Spielman; grandson, Dale McDowell; and great granddaughters, Sharise (Brady) Amaral, Lacy Mae McDowell, Jessica and Anna Farnsworth.

A Life Celebration will be held at Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, 1490 B St., Merced, CA on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at 10:00am with interment to follow at Evergreen Memorial Park.

For we know 1 Thes. 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Our hope, our future is in Christ Jesus, now and forevermore.

Arrangements under the direction of Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, Merced, CA.