She graduated from Mt. Zion High School, formerly Mt. Zion Seminary, and continued her education at Atlanta’s Southern Business University. For a number of years, she was employed in the Personnel Office at West Georgia College in Carrollton prior to making her home in Chattanooga. In 1987, she retired from Dixie Saving Stores, Inc., where she served as Executive Secretary to the President and CEO for 30 years.
Katherine was a member of First Centenary United Methodist Church, the Hamilton County Republican Women’s Club, and was an active member of both the Evening Garden Club of Signal Mountain and the Garden Club of Signal Mountain. She held Life Memberships in the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, the Deep South Region of Garden Clubs, and the National Garden Clubs, celebrating 50 years as a garden club member in 2015. She was honored to serve two terms as Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs Director of BLUE STAR MARKERS, and her proudest moment was when she presented a beautiful BLUE STAR MARKER to the Chattanooga National Cemetery, at a DEDICATION CEREMONY on April 21, 2012.
She enjoyed numerous hobbies during her busy life. Her favorite and most exciting was traveling extensively with her husband. For many years, they spent 3 weeks each summer in Europe, mainly in Lucerne, Switzerland, and the Alpine Countries. This included photography and scrapbooking, of course. She found great joy and satisfaction in growing beautiful flowers and in creating Tole Flowers.
Preceding Mrs. Dowdy in death, in addition to her parents, was her husband of 44 years, William W. “Bill” Dowdy; her brother James Stephen Brock in World War II; sister Sarah Brock Crutchfield, and nephew Ronnie Crutchfield, all of Carrollton, Georgia.
She is survived by her sister, Bettye Cowart of Mt. Zion, Georgia; a special niece Connie Andrade, of Salt Lake City, Utah; a special nephew Brent Patterson, of Shelbyville, TN, other nieces, nephews, and her dearest friend Candace Chazen.
There will be no visitation.
Graveside services for Katherine will be conducted at 1 pm on Saturday, May 25, at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Katherine’s name to First Centenary United Methodist Church, TV Ministry, P. O. Box 208, Chattanooga, TN 37402 or Signal Mountain Beautification Fund, or the Pet Placement Center, 5975 Dayton Blvd., Chattanooga, TN 37415.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com
Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, TN 37343.
