Dowdy, Marshall Dewey

Marshall Dewey Dowdy, 69, of Newport (Spruce Run Community), died Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at his home. He was born October 1942, in Blacksburg, to Daniel Dewey Dowdy and Estella Mae Dove.

Marshall was a graduate of Andrew Lewis High School Class of 1961. Just after high school, he joined the United States Naval Reserve and proudly served 29 years, rising to the rank of Chief Petty Officer prior to retirement. In 1971, Marshall joined the Virginia Department of State Police and moved to Portsmouth as his first Duty Station. After a short stay, Marshall and his family returned to Montgomery County. In 1976, he was promoted to Sergeant and moved to Fauquier County where he was stationed until 1992, when he was promoted to First Sergeant and was stationed in Martinsville. He took a transfer to the Dublin Office in 1993, and he and his family made their home in Giles County. He retired from the Department in 2003, and has enjoyed his friends and family since.

Marshall is survived by his loving wife and caretaker of 48 years, Janet Terry Dowdy; son, Marshall “Marty” Dowdy and wife, Ann, of Pulaski; son, Keith T. Dowdy and wife, Tracey, of Midlothian; daughter, Terry J. Dowdy and fiancé, Angela E. Stewart, of Roanoke; three grandchildren, Tyler and Abigail Dowdy, of Midlothian, and Lisa Brooks and husband, Chris, of Oak Harbor, Wash.; father, William L. Long, of Newport; brother, Roy L. Dowdy and wife, Phyllis, of Roanoke; sister, Debra L. Spears and husband, Joe, of Newport; mother-in-law, Elizabeth Terry, of Salem; and very special sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Patricia and Timothy Reed, of Salem. He is also survived by his best friend and constant companion, Sandy. He is preceded in death by his father, Daniel D. Dowdy, in 1946, his mother, Estella Mae Long, in 2011, and his father-in-law, Henry Terry, in 1997.

A Memorial Service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, February 24, 2012, in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel, with First Sergeant Mike Honaker officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Rd. S.W., Lilburn, GA 30047 (www.lbda.org).

The family will receive friends anytime after 6 p.m. Thursday evening at McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Dr. SW, Blacksburg.