J. Larry Dowell, MD passed away on August 15, 2017. Larry was born in Daviess County, Missouri in 1933 and had been married to his wife Josephine for 57 years. He was a physician to body and soul, a gardener, a musician and an artist. He and Josephine had two sons, Jonathan and Joseph, and two grandsons.
Larry completed a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Missouri and was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He practiced medicine in Pattonsburg, Missouri and Strafford, Missouri for over 30 years. He ministered to a variety of small congregations around southwest Missouri, serving for many years in Hartville and Stoutland. He was a Master Gardener, who gave away hundreds of seedlings to kids at the Fair Grove farmers market. He and Josephine were familiar figures at craft shows, in the Springfield area at the Ozark Empire Fair, where his needlepoint pieces won numerous ribbons. They also demonstrated folk music at schools, retirement homes and other venues where Larry played bass, banjo and dulcimer. He was active in church and community–among his roles, he served as president of his local school board, church board, and Lion's Club.
A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, 2017, at Greenlawn Funeral Home North, to celebrate his life, with Rev. Janet Given officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to South Street Disciples of Christ Foundation.The mailing address is 500 South Avenue, Springfield, MO. 65806