Joe McDowell

Visitation: Thursday, February 5, 2004 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus.

Funeral Service: Friday, February 6, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Broadus

Graveside Services: will be held at a later date

John Joseph Joe McDowell, age 84, of Broadus passed away on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at the Holy Rosary Health Center.

Joe was born on July 21, 1919, on his Fathers homestead on Box Elder Creek, in what is now Carter County, Montana, to Young Tex (Ellis) and Nina Maude (Elliott) McDowell. His first five years were spent on the homestead and then the family moved to the Fairgrounds, where his father worked as custodian. He attended Lincoln School and Washington School and graduated from Custer County High School in 1938. He attended Miles City Junior College in 1938 39 and then went to Kinman Business University, in Spokane, where he graduated. After his graduation, he returned to Miles City and worked at different jobs, including a highway job and for the Commodity Credit Corporation. In 1941, he volunteered for the Army Air Corps but could not get in because of a heart murmur. Later that same year, he moved to California, where he worked at various jobs around the state.

In August of 1943, he married Isabel Klein and they stayed in California until 1948, when they moved to Broadus. He went into business with his father-in-law for a while and then built the Cashway Cafe and Truck Stop and eventually the new Cashway Truck Stop, a large heated garage for truck storage, and a mini-storage building. He spent 50 years in various businesses in Broadus. Joes greatest pride was in his family and in his support of the community.

He is survived by his wife Isabel and his four children: Marcia Gergen of Broadus; JoAnn (Sam) Shimamoto of Billings; Jerry (Cathy) McDowell of Powderville; and Don (Sheri) McDowell of Broadus. He also has eleven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren; a brother Donald McDowell of Miles City, MT; and a sister Barbara Weaver of Santa Maria, CA.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Young Tex, and Nina McDowell; a son, Jerry; one sister, Mary Lou McDowell; and one brother, David McDowell.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Powder River Nursing Home for their Nurses Scholarship Fund.