Obituaries

Mitchell Wesley McDowell, age 93, of Fremont, California, died peaceful on August 25, 2021, at home with his loving daughter Michele at his side, after a long illness. He will suffer no more as he goes to a better place. As the story goes, Mitch’s mom, Tenie, took the train from California, back to her home town of Houston, Texas so her first born son, Mitch would be born a “Texan.” At six months old, he moved to Coalinga, California where he was raised by his parents Tenie and Clarence (Hig) McDowell. Four years later, his brother John was born into the family. Mitch enjoyed tagging along with his older cousins, “the twins,” Verna (V) and Velma (Velm) Hanst; he thought of them more as sisters than cousins. During his teen years, the girls all called him “Mac,” and he loved playing basketball. He graduated from Coalinga High School at 18 and enlisted in the United States Army serving during WWII (1946-1947) in Japan as a MP. After an honorable discharge from the Army, he returned to Coalinga to study at West Hills College-Coalinga while he worked in the local oil fields. He continued his studies at Menlo College, and eventually graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Since he loved the sea so much, after graduating from Menlo College, he joined the maritime service. He loved the opportunity to see different ports and places around the world. While in port at San Francisco, he met the love of his life, his wife Joy and her two young children, Shari and David, and decided to settle there with them. He found a job working for the City and County of San Francisco as a surveyor which he did for the next 32 years. Five years later they added a daughter, Julie Michele to their family, and in 1962, moved to Fremont, California. Mitch was a kind, generous, easy-going guy who enjoyed spending time with his family, watching sports, reading about history, and savoring a good glass of wine. He also loved his Crown Royal on the rocks (lots of rocks, please) and, when possible, a competitive game of liar’s dice to go alone with it. He was predeceased by his mother Tenie McDowell (1965), his father Clarence (Hig) McDowell (1967), his brother John Maury McDowell (2004), and his loving wife of 60 years Joy McDowell (2015). He is survived by his daughter Michele McDowell, son David Burke and wife Tamara (Chance) Burke, daughter Shari Whitaker, granddaughter Tiffany Dodds and husband Mike Dodds, his adored grandson Austin McDowell and precious great granddaughters Cassidy and Jessica Dodds. Mitch was dearly loved and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.