John E. McDowell

John E. McDowell, 90, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, died Saturday, December 31, 2016, at Park Place Elder Living.Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m., on Thursday January 5, 2017, at Olson~Powell Memorial Chapel, with family present. Funeral services will follow at 10:30 a.m., that same day, Thursday January 5, 2017, at Olson~Powell Memorial Chapel, with Rev. Jeff McPheron officiating. Burial with military rites by the Henry County Honor Guard will be accorded. Burial will be in Forest Home Cemetery. Gifts of love and friendship may be given to First United Methodist Church or Iowa Wesleyan University. On-line condolences may be directed to www.olsonpowell.com. Born May 18, 1926 in rural Keokuk County, IA, near Keota, John Edward was the son of Gerald J. and Vera G. (Hagist) McDowell. He was a 1943 graduate of Kinross High School. After high school, John was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II where he served in the European Theater of Operations and also in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Following the war, John attended and graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. On June 17, 1949, he married Marjorie R. Baker in Yarmouth, IA.John was employed as a fire and casualty insurance adjuster for 13 years for the Central States Insurance Company of Mt. Pleasant, IA; the Grinnell Reinsurance Company of Grinnell, IA; and the United Fire and Casualty Company of Cedar Rapids, IA. Following this, he was employed in the area of finance for 23 years in Mt. Pleasant, retiring in 1984 as Senior Vice President of Capital Savings and Loan. After his retirement, he became an invaluable associate of the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel for many years.As a young man, John was a member of Phi Delta Theta while attending Iowa Wesleyan College and coached his son's little league team teaching young boys to pitch. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Mt. Pleasant, a former member of the Mt. Pleasant Rotary Club and most recently the ROMEO Club. During his retirement, he was a self-taught master woodcrafter and shared his vast array of wood products with many people throughout the area.Along with his loving wife, Marjorie, of 67 years, John is survived by two daughters, Janette Zuk of Bethlehem, PA, and Joan (Bill) Coan of Iowa City, IA; one son, Scott McDowell of Denver, CO; five grandchildren, Daria Kret, Jill Bobrov, Natalie Zuk, Jenna Coan and John Zuk; and three great-grandchildren, Gavin Kret, Maya Kret, and Jaece Zuk.John was preceded in death by his parents; an infant son, Bradley John McDowell; and a brother, Robert McDowell. Cemetery Details Forest Home Cemetery South Walnut Street Mt. Pleasant, IA, 52641 Family will be present JAN 5. 09:30 AM - 10:15 AM Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel 709 Mapleleaf Drive Mt Pleasant, IA, US, 52641 olsonpowell@lisco.com Funeral Service JAN 5. 10:30 AM Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel 709 Mapleleaf Drive Mt Pleasant, IA, US, 52641 olsonpowell@lisco.com