Marie Therese Dowling

Marie Therese Donahue Dowling, 56, passed away the morning of Thursday, January 25th. She is loved now and always by those she has left behind, especially her husband David and son Joseph. She will be missed for her sense of humor and the comforting love she gave to her family and friends.

Marie Therese Donahue Dowling was born in Cheverly, Maryland in 1962. She was born in the hospital at which her mother worked as pediatric nurse for many years. She had a busy youth with good friends, marching with the drum corps of the local marching band, volunteering at the hospital as a candy striper, and “clowning around” with her friends for the patients of local nursing homes. Her talents were wide and varied. In high school she was in the concert choir and the drama club, where she met her husband to be. She earned her bachelor’s degree in theatre in 1986 and married her high school love in 1991. Marie had a son in 1997 and her joy and family and love expanded.

Marie began working at NASA in 1988 as a courier. She moved up through the organization until she found her favorite place with the people and mission of NASA Goddard’s Office of Education. She loved the people she worked with and loved helping students meet new experiences in science and technology. Marie received many awards and acknowledgements throughout her career.

Another of her many talents was to try and make everyone she knew smile, and lift up their spirits, if only for a little while. She felt this was what God put her here to do. She loved her family and friends, those she saw every day and those who she could only contact through the web.

Marie was a wonderful mother and loving wife and will be sorely missed by her husband David, her son Joseph, and all of her many friends.

Marie would wish, in lieu of flowers, for you to send a donation to your local animal shelter or the Little Longear Donkey Rescue in Westminster, Maryland. When Marie needed cheering up, she would watch one of the baby donkeys running around or commiserate with the older donkeys limping along.

Marie Dowling, you will be dearly missed.